Count Muffat, accompanied by his wife and daughter, had arrived overnight at Les Fondettes, where Mme Hugon, who was staying there with only her son Georges, had invited them to come and spend a week. The house, which had been built at the end of the eighteenth century, stood in the middle of a huge square enclosure. It was perfectly¹ unadorned, but the garden possessed² magnificent shady trees and a chain of tanks fed by running spring water. It stood at the side of the road which leads from Orleans to Paris and with its rich verdure and high-embowered trees broke the monotony of that flat countryside, where fields stretched to the horizon's verge³.

At eleven o'clock, when the second lunch bell had called the whole household together, Mme Hugon, smiling in her kindly⁴ maternal⁵ way, gave Sabine two great kisses, one on each cheek, and said as she did so:

"You know it's my custom in the country. Oh, seeing you here makes me feel twenty years younger. Did you sleep well in your old room?"

Then without waiting for her reply she turned to Estelle:

"And this little one, has she had a nap too? Give me a kiss, my child."

They had taken their seats in the vast dining room, the windows of which looked out on the park. But they only occupied one end of the long table, where they sat somewhat crowded together for company's sake. Sabine, in high good spirits, dwelt on various childish memories which had been stirred up within her--memories of months passed at Les Fondettes, of long walks, of a tumble into one of the tanks on a summer evening, of an old romance of chivalry⁶ discovered by her on the top of a cupboard and read during the winter before fires made of vine branches. And Georges, who had not seen the countess for some months, thought there was something curious about her. Her face seemed changed, somehow, while, on the other hand, that stick of an Estelle seemed more insignificant⁷ and dumb and awkward than ever.

While such simple fare as cutlets and boiled eggs was being discussed by the company, Mme Hugon, as became a good housekeeper⁸, launched out into complaints. The butchers, she said, were becoming impossible. She bought everything at Orleans, and yet they never brought her the pieces she asked for. Yet, alas⁹, if her guests had nothing worth eating it was their own fault: they had come too late in the season.

"There's no sense in it," she said. "I've been expecting you since June, and now we're half through September. You see, it doesn't look pretty."

And with a movement she pointed¹⁰ to the trees on the grass outside, the leaves of which were beginning to turn yellow. The day was covered, and the distance was hidden by a bluish haze¹¹ which was fraught¹² with a sweet and melancholy¹³ peacefulness.

"Oh, I'm expecting company," she continued. "We shall be gayer then! The first to come will be two gentlemen whom Georges has invited--Monsieur Fauchery and Monsieur Daguenet; you know them, do you not? Then we shall have Monsieur de Vandeuvres, who has promised me a visit these five years past. This time, perhaps, he'll make up his mind!"

"Oh, well and good!" said the countess, laughing. "If we only can get Monsieur de Vandeuvres! But he's too much engaged."

"And Philippe?" queried¹⁴ Muffat.

"Philippe has asked for a furlough," replied the old lady, "but without doubt you won't be at Les Fondettes any longer when he arrives."

The coffee was served. Paris was now the subject of conversation, and Steiner's name was mentioned, at which Mme Hugon gave a little cry.

"Let me see," she said; "Monsieur Steiner is that stout¹⁵ man I met at your house one evening. He's a banker, is he not? Now there's a detestable man for you! Why, he's gone and bought an actress an estate about a league from here, over Gumieres way, beyond the Choue. The whole countryside's scandalized. Did you know about that, my friend?"

"I knew nothing about it," replied Muffat. "Ah, then, Steiner's bought a country place in the neighborhood!"

Hearing his mother broach¹⁷ the subject, Georges looked into his coffee cup, but in his astonishment¹⁸ at the count's answer he glanced up at him and stared. Why was he lying so glibly¹⁹? The count, on his side, noticed the young fellow's movement and gave him a suspicious glance. Mme Hugon continued to go into details: the country place was called La Mignotte. In order to get there one had to go up the bank of the Choue as far as Gumieres in order to cross the bridge; otherwise one got one's feet wet and ran the risk of a ducking.

"And what is the actress's name?" asked the countess.

"Oh, I wasn't told," murmured the old lady. "Georges, you were there the morning the gardener spoke²⁰ to us about it."

Georges appeared to rack his brains. Muffat waited, twirling a teaspoon²¹ between his fingers. Then the countess addressed her husband:

"Isn't Monsieur Steiner with that singer at the Varietes, that Nana?"

"Nana, that's the name! A horrible woman!" cried Mme Hugon with growing annoyance²². "And they are expecting her at La Mignotte. I've heard all about it from the gardener. Didn't the gardener say they were expecting her this evening, Georges?"

The count gave a little start of astonishment, but Georges replied with much vivacity²³:

"Oh, Mother, the gardener spoke without knowing anything about it. Directly afterward²⁴ the coachman said just the opposite. Nobody's expected at La Mignotte before the day after tomorrow."

He tried hard to assume a natural expression while he slyly watched the effect of his remarks on the count. The latter was twirling his spoon again as though reassured²⁵. The countess, her eyes fixed²⁶ dreamily on the blue distances of the park, seemed to have lost all interest in the conversation. The shadow of a smile on her lips, she seemed to be following up a secret thought which had been suddenly awakened²⁷ within her. Estelle, on the other hand, sitting stiffly on her chair, had heard all that had been said about Nana, but her white, virginal face had not betrayed a trace of emotion.

"Dear me, dear me! I've got no right to grow angry," murmured Mme Hugon after a pause, and with a return to her old good humor she added:

"Everybody's got a right to live. If we meet this said lady on the road we shall not bow to her--that's all!"

And as they got up from table she once more gently upbraided²⁹ the Countess Sabine for having been so long in coming to her that year. But the countess defended herself and threw the blame of the delays upon her husband's shoulders. Twice on the eve of departure, when all the trunks were locked, he counterordered their journey on the plea of urgent business. Then he had suddenly decided³⁰ to start just when the trip seemed shelved. Thereupon the old lady told them how Georges in the same way had twice announced his arrival without arriving and had finally cropped up at Les Fondettes the day before yesterday, when she was no longer expecting him. They had come down into the garden, and the two men, walking beside the ladies, were listening to them in consequential³¹ silence.

"Never mind," said Mme Hugon, kissing her son's sunny locks, "Zizi is a very good boy to come and bury himself in the country with his mother. He's a dear Zizi not to forget me!"

In the afternoon she expressed some anxiety, for Georges, directly after leaving the table, had complained of a heavy feeling in his head and now seemed in for an atrocious sick headache. Toward four o'clock he said he would go upstairs to bed: it was the only remedy. After sleeping till tomorrow morning he would be perfectly himself again. His mother was bent³² on putting him to bed herself, but as she left the room he ran and locked the door, explaining that he was shutting himself in so that no one should come and disturb him. Then caressingly³⁴ he shouted, "Good night till tomorrow, little Mother!" and promised to take a nap. But he did not go to bed again and with flushed cheeks and bright eyes noiselessly put on his clothes. Then he sat on a chair and waited. When the dinner bell rang he listened for Count Muffat, who was on his way to the dining room, and ten minutes later, when he was certain that no one would see him, he slipped from the window to the ground with the assistance of a rain pipe. His bedroom was situated³⁵ on the first floor and looked out upon the rear of the house. He threw himself among some bushes and got out of the park and then galloped³⁶ across the fields with empty stomach and heart beating with excitement.

Night was closing in, and a small fine rain was beginning to fall.

It was the very evening that Nana was due at La Mignotte. Ever since in the preceding May Steiner had bought her this country place she had from time to time been so filled with the desire of taking possession that she had wept hot tears about, but on each of these occasions Bordenave had refused to give her even the shortest leave and had deferred³⁷ her holiday till September on the plea that he did not intend putting an understudy in her place, even for one evening, now that the exhibition was on. Toward the close of August he spoke of October. Nana was furious and declared that she would be at La Mignotte in the middle of September. Nay³⁸, in order to dare Bordenave, she even invited a crowd of guests in his very presence. One afternoon in her rooms, as Muffat, whose advances she still adroitly³⁹ resisted, was beseeching⁴⁰ her with tremulous emotion to yield to his entreaties⁴¹, she at length promised to be kind, but not in Paris, and to him, too, she named the middle of September. Then on the twelfth she was seized by a desire to be off forthwith with Zoe as her sole companion. It might be that Bordenave had got wind of her intentions and was about to discover some means of detaining her. She was delighted at the notion of putting him in a fix, and she sent him a doctor's certificate. When once the idea had entered her head of being the first to get to La Mignotte and of living there two days without anybody knowing anything about it, she rushed Zoe through the operation of packing and finally pushed her into a cab, where in a sudden burst of extreme contrition⁴³ she kissed her and begged her pardon. It was only when they got to the station refreshment⁴⁴ room that she thought of writing Steiner of her movements. She begged him to wait till the day after tomorrow before rejoining her if he wanted to find her quite bright and fresh. And then, suddenly conceiving another project, she wrote a second letter, in which she besought⁴⁵ her aunt to bring little Louis to her at once. It would do Baby so much good! And how happy they would be together in the shade of the trees! In the railway carriage between Paris and Orleans she spoke of nothing else; her eyes were full of tears; she had an unexpected attack of maternal tenderness and mingled⁴⁶ together flowers, birds and child in her every sentence.

La Mignotte was more than three leagues away from the station, and Nana lost a good hour over the hire of a carriage, a huge, dilapidated calash, which rumbled⁴⁷ slowly along to an accompaniment of rattling⁴⁸ old iron. She had at once taken possession of the coachman, a little taciturn old man whom she overwhelmed with questions. Had he often passed by La Mignotte? It was behind this hill then? There ought to be lots of trees there, eh? And the house could one see it at a distance? The little old man answered with a succession of grunts⁴⁹. Down in the calash Nana was almost dancing with impatience⁵⁰, while Zoe, in her annoyance at having left Paris in such a hurry, sat stiffly sulking beside her. The horse suddenly stopped short, and the young woman thought they had reached their destination. She put her head out of the carriage door and asked:

"Are we there, eh?"

By way of answer the driver whipped up his horse, which was in the act of painfully climbing a hill. Nana gazed ecstatically at the vast plain beneath the gray sky where great clouds were banked up.

"Oh, do look, Zoe! There's greenery! Now, is that all wheat? Good lord, how pretty it is!"

"One can quite see that Madame doesn't come from the country," was the servant's prim⁵¹ and tardy⁵² rejoinder. "As for me, I knew the country only too well when I was with my dentist. He had a house at Bougival. No, it's cold, too, this evening. It's damp in these parts."

They were driving under the shadow of a wood, and Nana sniffed⁵³ up the scent⁵⁴ of the leaves as a young dog might. All of a sudden at a turn of the road she caught sight of the corner of a house among the trees. Perhaps it was there! And with that she began a conversation with the driver, who continued shaking his head by way of saying no. Then as they drove down the other side of the hill he contented⁵⁵ himself by holding out his whip and muttering, "'Tis down there."

She got up and stretched herself almost bodily out of the carriage door.

"Where is it? Where is it?" she cried with pale cheeks, but as yet she saw nothing.

At last she caught sight of a bit of wall. And then followed a succession of little cries and jumps, the ecstatic behavior of a woman overcome by a new and vivid sensation.

"I see it! I see it, Zoe! Look out at the other side. Oh, there's a terrace with brick ornaments⁵⁶ on the roof! And there's a hothouse down there! But the place is immense. Oh, how happy I am! Do look, Zoe! Now, do look!"

The carriage had bthin a wall. Then the view of the kitchen garden entirely⁵⁷ engrossed⁵⁸ her attention. She darted⁵⁹ back, jostling the lady's maid at the top of the stairs and bursting out:

"It's full of cabbages! Oh, such woppers! And lettuces⁶⁰ and sorrel and onions and everything! Come along, make haste!"

The rain was falling more heavily now, and she opened her white silk sunshade and ran down the garden walks.

"Madame will catch cold," cried Zoe, who had stayed quietly behind under the awning⁶¹ over the garden door.

But Madame wanted to see things, and at each new discovery there was a burst of wonderment.

"Zoe, here's spinach⁶²! Do come. Oh, look at the artichokes! They are funny. So they grow in the ground, do they? Now, what can that be? I don't know it. Do come, Zoe, perhaps you know."

The lady's maid never budged⁶³ an inch. Madame must really be raving⁶⁴ mad. For now the rain was coming down in torrents⁶⁵, and the little white silk sunshade was aly this time pulled up before the park gates. A side door was opened, and the gardener, a tall, dry fellow, made his appearance, cap in hand. Nana made an effort to regain⁶⁶ her dignity, for the driver seemed now to be suppressing a laugh behind his dry, speechless lips. She refrained from setting off at a run and listened to the gardener, who was a very talkative fellow. He begged Madame to excuse the disorder⁶⁷ in which she found everything, seeing that he had only received Madame's letter that very morning. But despite all his efforts, she flew off at a tangent and walked so quickly that Zoe could scarcely follow her. At the end of the avenue she paused for a moment in order to take the house in at a glance. It was a great pavilionlike building in the Italian manner, and it was flanked by a smaller construction, which a rich Englishman, after two years' residence in Naples, had caused to be erected⁶⁸ and had forthwith become disgusted with.

"I'll take Madame over the house," said the gardener.

But she had outrun him entirely, and she shouted back that he was not to put himself out and that she would go over the house by herself. She preferred doing that, she said. And without removing her hat she dashed into the different rooms, calling to Zoe as she did so, shouting her impressions from one end of each corridor to the other and filling the empty house, which for long months had been uninhabited, with exclamations⁷⁰ and bursts of laughter. In the first place, there was the hall. It was a little damp, but that didn't matter; one wasn't going to sleep in it. Then came the drawing room, quite the thing, the drawing room, with its windows opening on the lawn. Only the red upholsteries there were hideous⁷¹; she would alter all that. As to the dining room-well, it was a lovely dining room, eh? What big blowouts you might give in Paris if you had a dining room as large as that! As she was going upstairs to the first floor it occurred to her that she had not seen the kitchen, and she went down again and indulged in ecstatic exclamations. Zoe ought to admire the beautiful dimensions of the sink and the width of the hearth⁷³, where you might have roasted a sheep! When she had gone upstairs again her bedroom especially enchanted⁷⁴ her. It had been hung with delicate rose-colored Louis XVI cretonne by an Orleans upholsterer. Dear me, yes! One ought to sleep jolly sound in such a room as that; why, it was a real best bedroom! Then came four or five guest chambers⁷⁵ and then some splendid garrets, which would be extremely convenient for trunks and boxes. Zoe looked very gruff and cast a frigid⁷⁶ glance into each of the rooms as she lingered in Madame's wake. She saw Nana disappearing up the steep garret ladder and said, "Thanks, I haven't the least wish to break my legs." But the sound of a voice reached her from far away; indeed, it seemed to come whistling down a chimney.

"Zoe, Zoe, where are you? Come up, do! You've no idea! It's like fairyland!"

Zoe went up, grumbling⁷⁸. On the roof she found her mistress leaning against the brickwork balustrade and gazing at the valley which spread out into the silence. The horizon was immeasurably wide, but it was now covered by masses of gray vapor⁸⁰, and a fierce wind was driving fine rain before it. Nana had to hold her hat on with both hands to keep it from being blown away while her petticoats streamed out behind her, flapping like a flag.

"Not if I know it!" said Zoe, drawing her head in at once. "Madame will be blown away. What beastly weather!"

Madame did not hear what she said. With her head over the balustrade she was gazing at the grounds beneath. They consisted of seven or eight acres of land enclosed wiready dark with it. Nor did it shelter Madame, whose skirts were wringing⁸¹ wet. But that didn't put her out in the smallest degree, and in the pouring rain she visited the kitchen garden and the orchard⁸², stopping in front of every fruit tree and bending over every bed of vegetables. Then she ran and looked down the well and lifted up a frame to see what was underneath⁸³ it and was lost in the contemplation of a huge pumpkin⁸⁴. She wanted to go along every single garden walk and to take immediate⁸⁵ possession of all the things she had been wont⁸⁶ to dream of in the old days, when she was a slipshod work-girl on the Paris pavements. The rain redoubled, but she never heeded⁸⁷ it and was only miserable⁸⁸ at the thought that the daylight was fading. She could not see clearly now and touched things with her fingers to find out what they were. Suddenly in the twilight⁸⁹ she caught sight of a bed of strawberries, and all that was childish in her awoke.

"Strawberries! Strawberries! There are some here; I can feel them. A plate, Zoe! Come and pick strawberries."

And dropping her sunshade, Nana crouched⁹⁰ down in the mire⁷² under the full force of the downpour. With drenched⁹¹ hands she began gathering⁹² the fruit among the leaves. But Zoe in the meantime brought no plate, and when the young woman rose to her feet again she was frightened. She thought she had seen a shadow close to her.

"It's some beast!" she screamed.

But she stood rooted to the path in utter amazement⁹³. It was a man, and she recognized him.

"Gracious me, it's Baby! What ARE you doing there, baby?"

"'Gad⁹⁴, I've come--that's all!" replied Georges.

Her head swam.

"You knew I'd come through the gardener telling you? Oh, that poor child! Why, he's soaking!"

"Oh, I'll explain that to you! The rain caught me on my way here, and then, as I didn't wish to go upstream as far as Gumieres, I crossed the Choue and fell into a blessed hole."

Nana forgot the strawberries forthwith. She was trembling and full of pity. That poor dear Zizi in a hole full of water! And she drew him with her in the direction of the house and spoke of making up a roaring fire.

"You know," he murmured, stopping her among the shadows, "I was in hiding because I was afraid of being scolded, like in Paris, when I come and see you and you're not expecting me."

She made no reply but burst out laughing and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Up till today she had always treated him like a naughty urchin⁹⁵, never taking his declarations seriously and amusing herself at his expense as though he were a little man of no consequence whatever. There was much ado to install him in the house. She absolutely insisted on the fire being lit in her bedroom, as being the most comfortable place for his reception. Georges had not surprised Zoe, who was used to all kinds of encounters, but the gardener, who brought the wood upstairs, was greatly nonplused at sight of this dripping gentleman to whom he was certain he had not opened the front door. He was, however, dismissed, as he was no longer wanted.

A lamp lit up the room, and the fire burned with a great bright flame.

"He'll never get dry, and he'll catch cold," said Nana, seeing Georges beginning to shiver.

And there and with his delicate young arms showing and his bright damp hair falling almost to his shoulders, he looked just like a girl.

"Why, he's as slim as I am!" said Nana, putting her arm round his waist. "Zoe, just come here and see how it suits him. It's were no men's trousers in her house! She was on the point of calling the gardener back when an idea struck her. Zoe, who was unpacking⁹⁶ the trunks in the dressing⁹⁷ room, brought her mistress a change of underwear, consisting of a shift and some petticoats with a dressing jacket.

"Oh, that's first rate!" cried the young woman. "Zizi can put 'em all on. You're not angry with me, eh? When your clothes are dry you can put them on again, and then off with you, as fast as fast can be, so as not to have a scolding from your mamma. Make haste! I'm going to change my things, too, in the dressing room."

Ten minutes afterward, when she reappeared in a tea gown, she clasped her hands in a perfect ecstasy⁹⁸.

"Oh, the darling! How sweet he looks dressed like a little woman!"

He had simply slipped on a long nightgown with an insertion front, a pair of worked drawers and the dressing jacket, which was a long cambric garment trimmed with lace. Thus attiredmade for him, eh? All except the bodice part, which is too large. He

hasn't got as much as I have, poor, dear Zizi!"

"Oh, to be sure, I'm a bit wanting there," murmured Georges with a smile.

All three grew very merry about it. Nana had set to work buttoning the dressing jacket from top to bottom so as to make him quite decent. Then she turned him round as though he were a doll, gave him little thumps⁹⁹, made the skirt stand well out behind. After which she asked him questions. Was he comfortable? Did he feel warm? Zounds, yes, he was comfortable! Nothing fitted more closely and warmly than a woman's shift; had he been able, he would always have worn one. He moved round and about therein, delighted with the fine linen¹⁰⁰ and the soft touch of that unmanly garment, in the folds of which he thought he discovered some of Nana's own warm life.

Meanwhile Zoe had taken the soaked clothes down to the kitchen in order to dry them as quickly as possible in front of a vine-branch fire. Then Georges, as he lounged in an easy chair, ventured to make a confession¹⁰².

"I say, are you going to feed this evening? I'm dying of hunger. I haven't dined."

Nana was vexed¹⁰³. The great silly thing to go sloping off from Mamma's with an empty stomach, just to chuck himself into a hole full of water! But she was as hungry as a hunter too. They certainly must feed! Only they would have to eat what they could get. Whereupon a round table was rolled up in front of the fire, and the queerest of dinners was improvised¹⁰⁴ thereon. Zoe ran down to the gardener's, he having cooked a mess of cabbage soup in case Madame should not dine at Orleans before her arrival. Madame, indeed, had forgotten to tell him what he was to get ready in the letter she had sent him. Fortunately the cellar was well furnished. Accordingly they had cabbage soup, followed by a piece of bacon. Then Nana rummaged¹⁰⁵ in her handbag and found quite a heap of provisions which she had taken the precaution of stuffing into it. There was a Strasbourg pate¹⁰⁶, for instance, and a bag of sweet-meats and some oranges. So they both ate away like ogres and, while they satisfied their healthy young appetites, treated one another with easy good fellowship. Nana kept calling Georges "dear old girl," a form of address which struck her as at once tender and familiar. At dessert, in order not to give Zoe any more trouble, they used the same spoon turn and turn about while demolishing¹⁰⁷ a pot of preserves they had discovered at the top of a cupboard.

"Oh, you dear old girl!" said Nana, pushing back the round table. "I haven't made such a good dinner these ten years past!"

Yet it was growing late, and she wanted to send her boy off for fear he should be suspected of all sorts of things. But he kept declaring that he had plenty of time to spare. For the matter of that, his clothes were not drying well, and Zoe averred¹⁰⁸ that it would take an hour longer at least, and as she was dropping with sleep after the fatigues¹⁰⁹ of the journey, they sent her off to bed. After which they were alone in the silent house.

It was a very charming evening. The fire was dying out amid glowing embers, and in the great blue room, where Zoe had made up the bed before going upstairs, the air felt a little oppressive. Nana, overcome by the heavy warmth, got up to open the window for a few minutes, and as she did so she uttered a little cry.

"Great heavens, how beautiful it is! Look, dear old girl!"

Georges had come up, and as though the window bar had not been sufficiently¹¹⁰ wide, he put his arm round Nana's waist and rested his head against her shoulder. The weather had undergone a brisk change: the skies were clearing, and a full moon lit up the country with its golden disk of light. A sovereign quiet reigned¹¹¹ over the valley. It seemed wider and larger as it opened on the immense distances of the plain, where the trees loomed¹¹² like little shadowy islands amid a shining and waveless lake. And Nana grew tenderhearted, felt herself a child again. Most surely she had dreamed of nights like this at an epoch¹¹³ which she could not recall. Since leaving the train every object of sensation--the wide countryside, the green things with their pungent¹¹⁴ scents¹¹⁵, the house, the vegetables--had stirred her to such a degree that now it seemed to her as if she had left Paris twenty years ago. Yesterday's existence was far, far away, and she was full of sensations of which she had no previous experience. Georges, meanwhile, was giving her neck little coaxing¹¹⁶ kisses, and this again added to her sweet unrest. With hesitating hand she pushed him from her, as though he were a child whose affectionate advances were fatiguing¹¹⁷, and once more she told him that he ought to take his departure. He did not gainsay¹¹⁸ her. All in good time--he would go all in good time!

But a bird raised its song and again was silent. It was a robin¹¹⁹ in an elder tree below the window.

"Wait one moment," whispered Georges; "the lamp's frightening him. I'll put it out."

And when he came back and took her waist again he added:

"We'll relight it in a minute."

Then as she listened to the robin and the boy pressed against her side, Nana remembered. Ah yes, it was in novels that she had got to know all this! In other days she would have given her heart to have a full moon and robins¹²⁰ and a lad dying of love for her. Great God, she could have cried, so good and charming did it all seem to her! Beyond a doubt she had been born to live honestly! So she pushed Georges away again, and he grew yet bolder.

"No, let me be. I don't care about it. It would be very wicked at your age. Now listen--I'll always be your mamma."

A sudden feeling of shame overcame her. She was blushing exceedingly, and yet not a soul could see her. The room behind them was full of black night while the country stretched before them in silence and lifeless solitude¹²¹. Never had she known such a sense of shame before. Little by little she felt her power of resistance ebbing¹²² away, and that despite her embarrassed efforts to the contrary. That disguise of his, that woman's shift and that dressing jacket set her laughing again. It was as though a girl friend were teasing her.

"Oh, it's not right; it's not right!" she stammered¹²³ after a last effort.

And with that, in face of the lovely night, she sank like a young virgin²⁸ into the arms of this mere¹²⁴ child. The house slept.

Next morning at Les Fondettes, when the bell rang for lunch, the dining-room table was no longer too big for the company. Fauchery and Daguenet had been driven up together in one carriage, and after them another had arrived with the Count de Vandeuvres, who had followed by the next train. Georges was the last to come downstairs. He was looking a little pale, and his eyes were sunken, but in answer to questions he said that he was much better, though he was still somewhat shaken by the violence of the attack. Mme Hugon looked into his eyes with an anxious smile and adjusted his hair which had been carelessly combed that morning, but he drew back as though embarrassed by this tender little action. During the meal she chaffed Vandeuvres very pleasantly and declared that she had expected him for five years past.

"Well, here you are at last! How have you managed it?"

Vandeuvres took her remarks with equal pleasantry. He told her that he had lost a fabulous¹²⁵ sum of money at the club yesterday and thereupon had come away with the intention of ending up in the country.

"'Pon my word, yes, if only you can find me an heiress in these rustic¹²⁶ parts! There must be delightful¹²⁷ women hereabouts."

The old lady rendered equal thanks to Daguenet and Fauchery for having been so good as to accept her son's invitation, and then to her great and joyful¹²⁸ surprise she saw the Marquis de Chouard enter the room. A third carriage had brought him.

"Dear me, you've made this your trysting place today!" she cried. "You've passed word round! But what's happening? For years I've never succeeded in bringing you all together, and now you all drop in at once. Oh, I certainly don't complain."

Another place was laid. Fauchery found himself next the Countess Sabine, whose liveliness and gaiety surprised him when he remembered her drooping¹²⁹, languid state in the austere¹³⁰ Rue¹³¹ Miromesnil drawing room. Daguenet, on the other hand, who was seated on Estelle's left, seemed slightly put out by his propinquity to that tall, silent girl. The angularity of her elbows was disagreeable to him. Muffat and Chouard had exchanged a sly glance while Vandeuvres continued joking about his coming marriage.

"Talking of ladies," Mme Hugon ended by saying, "I have a new neighbor whom you probably know."

And she mentioned Nana. Vandeuvres affected¹³² the liveliest astonishment.

"Well, that is strange! Nana's property near here!"

Fauchery and Daguenet indulged in a similar demonstration¹³³ while the Marquis de Chouard discussed the breast of a chicken without appearing to comprehend their meaning. Not one of the men had smiled.

"Certainly," continued the old lady, "and the person in question arrived at La Mignotte yesterday evening, as I was saying she would. I got my information from the gardener this morning."

At these words the gentlemen could not conceal¹³⁴ their very real surprise. They all looked up. Eh? What? Nana had come down! But they were only expecting her next day; they were privately¹³⁵ under the impression that they would arrive before her! Georges alone sat looking at his glass with drooped¹³⁶ eyelids¹³⁷ and a tired expression. Ever since the beginning of lunch he had seemed to be sleeping with open eyes and a vague smile on his lips.

"Are you still in pain, my Zizi?" asked his mother, who had been gazing at him throughout the meal.

He started and blushed as he said that he was very well now, but the worn-out insatiate expression of a girl who has danced too much did not fade from his face.

"What's the matter with your neck?" resumed Mme Hugon in an alarmed tone. "It's all red."

He was embarrassed and stammered. He did not know--he had nothing the matter with his neck. Then drawing his shirt collar up:

"Ah yes, some insect stung me there!"

The Marquis de Chouard had cast a sidelong glance at the little red place. Muffat, too, looked at Georges. The company was finishing lunch and planning various excursions. Fauchery was growing increasingly excited with the Countess Sabine's laughter. As he was passing her a dish of fruit their hands touched, and for one second she looked at him with eyes so full of dark meaning that he once more thought of the secret which had been communicated to him one evening after an uproarious dinner. Then, too, she was no longer the same woman. Something was more pronounced than of old, and her gray foulard gown which fitted loosely over her shoulders added a touch of license¹³⁹ to her delicate, high-strung elegance¹⁴⁰.

When they rose from the table Daguenet remained behind with Fauchery in order to impart to him the following crude witticism¹⁴¹ about Estelle: "A nice broomstick that to shove into a man's hands!" Nevertheless, he grew serious when the journalist told him the amount she was worth in the way of dowry.

"Four hundred thousand francs."

"And the mother?" queried Fauchery. "She's all right, eh?"

"Oh, SHE'LL work the oracle¹⁴²! But it's no go, my dear man!"

"Bah! How are we to know? We must wait and see."

It was impossible to go out that day, for the rain was still falling in heavy showers. Georges had made haste to disappear from the scene and had double-locked his door. These gentlemen avoided mutual¹⁴³ explanations, though they were none of them deceived as to the reasons which had brought them together. Vandeuvres, who had had a very bad time at play, had really conceived the notion of lying fallow for a season, and he was counting on Nana's presence in the neighborhood as a safeguard against excessive boredom¹⁴⁴. Fauchery had taken advantage of the holidays granted him by Rose, who just then was extremely busy. He was thinking of discussing a second notice with Nana, in case country air should render them reciprocally affectionate. Daguenet, who had been just a little sulky with her since Steiner had come upon the scene, was dreaming of resuming the old connection or at least of snatching some delightful opportunities if occasion offered. As to the Marquis de Chouard, he was watching for times and seasons. But among all those men who were busy following in the tracks of Venus--a Venus with the rouge¹⁴⁵ scarce washed from her cheeks--Muffat was at once the most ardent¹⁴⁶ and the most tortured by the novel sensations of desire and fear and anger warring in his anguished¹⁴⁷ members. A formal promise had been made him; Nana was awaiting him. Why then had she taken her departure two days sooner than was expected?

He resolved to betake himself to La Mignotte after dinner that same evening. At night as the count was leaving the park Georges fled forth⁴² after him. He left him to follow the road to Gumieres, crossed the Choue, rushed into Nana's presence, breathless, furious and with tears in his eyes. Ah yes, he understood everything! That old fellow now on his way to her was coming to keep an appointment! Nana was dumfounded by this ebullition of jealousy¹⁴⁸, and, greatly moved by the way things were turning out, she took him in her arms and comforted him to the best of her ability. Oh no, he was quite beside the mark; she was expecting no one. If the gentleman came it would not be her fault. What a great ninny that Zizi was to be taking on so about nothing at all! By her child's soul she swore she loved nobody except her own Georges. And with that she kissed him and wiped away his tears.

"Now just listen! You'll see that it's all for your sake," she went on when he had grown somewhat calmer. "Steiner has arrived--he's up above there now. You know, duckie, I can't turn HIM out of doors."

"Yes, I know; I'm not talking of HIM," whispered the boy.

"Very well then, I've stuck him into the room at the end. I said I was out of sorts. He's unpacking his trunk. Since nobody's seen you, be quick and run up and hide in my room and wait for me.

Georges sprang at her and threw his arms round her neck. It was true after all! She loved him a little! So they would put the lamp out as they did yesterday and be in the dark till daytime! Then as the front-door bell sounded he quietly slipped away. Upstairs in the bedroom he at once took off his shoes so as not to make any noise and straightway crouched down behind a curtain and waited soberly.

Nana welcomed Count Muffat, who, though still shaken with passion, was now somewhat embarrassed. She had pledged her word to him and would even have liked to keep it since he struck her as a serious, practicable lover. But truly, who could have foreseen all that happened yesterday? There was the voyage and the house she had never set eyes on before and the arrival of the drenched little lover! How sweet it had all seemed to her, and how delightful it would be to continue in it! So much the worse for the gentleman! For three months past she had been keeping him dangling¹⁴⁹ after her while she affected conventionality in order the further to inflame¹⁵⁰ him. Well, well! He would have to continue dangling, and if he didn't like that he could go! She would sooner have thrown up everything than have played false to Georges.

The count had seated himself with all the ceremonious politeness becoming a country caller. Only his hands were trembling slightly. Lust⁷⁹, which Nana's skillful tactics daily exasperated¹⁵², had at last wrought¹⁵³ terrible havoc¹⁵⁴ in that sanguine¹⁵⁵, uncontaminated nature. The grave man, the chamberlain who was wont to tread the state apartments at the Tuileries with slow and dignified¹⁵⁶ step, was now nightly driven to plunge¹⁵⁷ his teeth into his bolster¹⁵⁸, while with sobs¹⁵⁹ of exasperation¹⁶⁰ he pictured to himself a sensual shape which never changed. But this time he was determined¹⁶¹ to make an end of the torture. Coming along the highroad in the deep quiet of the gloaming, he had meditated¹⁶² a fierce course of action. And the moment he had finished his opening remarks he tried to take hold of Nana with both hands.

"No, no! Take care!" she said simply. She was not vexed; nay, she even smiled.

He caught her again, clenching¹⁶³ his teeth as he did so. Then as she struggled to get free he coarsely and crudely reminded her that he had come to stay the night. Though much embarrassed at this, Nana did not cease to smile. She took his hands and spoke very familiarly in order to soften¹⁶⁴ her refusal.

"Come now, darling, do be quiet! Honor bright, I can't: Steiner's upstairs."

But he was beside himself. Never yet had she seen a man in such a state. She grew frightened and put her hand over his mouth in order to stifle¹⁶⁵ his cries. Then in lowered tones she besought him to be quiet and to let her alone. Steiner was coming downstairs. Things were getting stupid, to be sure! When Steiner entered the room he heard Nana remarking:

"I adore the country."

She was lounging comfortably back in her deep easy chair, and she turned round and interrupted herself.

"It's Monsieur le Comte Muffat, darling. He saw a light here while he was strolling past, and he came in to bid us welcome."

The two men clasped hands. Muffat, with his face in shadow, stood silent for a moment or two. Steiner seemed sulky. Then they chatted about Paris: business there was at a standstill; abominable¹⁶⁶ things had been happening on 'change. When a quarter of an hour had elapsed Muffat took his departure, and, as the young woman was seeing him to the door, he tried without success to make an assignation for the following night. Steiner went up to bed almost directly afterward, grumbling, as he did so, at the everlasting¹⁶⁷ little ailments¹⁶⁸ that seemed to afflict¹⁶⁹ the genus courtesan. The two old boys had been packed off at last! When she was able to rejoin him Nana found Georges still hiding exemplarily behind the curtain. The room was dark. He pulled her down onto the floor as she sat near him, and together they began playfully rolling on the ground, stopping now and again and smothering¹⁷⁰ their laughter with kisses whenever they struck their bare feet against some piece of furniture. Far away, on the road to Gumieres, Count Muffat walked slowly home and, hat in hand, bathed his burning forehead in the freshness and silence of the night.

During the days that followed Nana found life adorable. In the lad's arms she was once more a girl of fifteen, and under the caressing³³ influence of this renewed childhood love's white flower once more blossomed forth in a nature which had grown hackneyed and disgusted in the service of the other sex. She would experience sudden fits of shame, sudden vivid emotions, which left her trembling. She wanted to laugh and to cry, and she was beset¹⁷¹ by nervous, maidenly¹⁷² feelings, mingled with warm desires that made her blush again. Never yet had she felt anything comparable to this. The country filled her with tender thoughts. As a little girl she had long wished to dwell in a meadow, tending a goat, because one day on the talus of the fortifications she had seen a goat bleating¹⁷³ at the end of its tether. Now this estate, this stretch of land belonging to her, simply swelled¹⁷⁴ her heart to bursting, so utterly¹⁷⁵ had her old ambition been surpassed. Once again she tasted the novel sensations experienced by chits of girls, and at night when she went upstairs, dizzy with her day in the open air and intoxicated¹⁷⁶ by the scent of green leaves, and rejoined her Zizi behind the curtain, she fancied herself a schoolgirl enjoying a holiday escapade. It was an amour, she thought, with a young cousin to whom she was going to be married. And so she trembled at the slightest noise and dread¹⁷⁷ lest parents should hear her, while making the delicious experiments and suffering the voluptuous¹⁷⁸ terrors attendant on a girl's first slip from the path of virtue¹⁷⁹.Nana in those days was subject to the fancies a sentimental¹⁸⁰ girl will indulge in. She would gaze at the moon for hours. One night she had a mind to go down into the garden with Georges when all the household was asleep. When there they strolled under the trees, their arms round each other's waists, and finally went and laid down in the grass, where the dew soaked them through and through. On another occasion, after a long silence up in the bedroom, she fell sobbing¹⁸¹ on the lad's neck, declaring in broken accents that she was afraid of dying. She would often croon a favorite ballad¹⁸² of Mme Lerat's, which was full of flowers and birds. The song would melt her to tears, and she would break off in order to clasp Georges in a passionate¹⁸³ embrace and to extract from him vows¹⁸⁴ of undying affection. In short she was extremely silly, as she herself would admit when they both became jolly good fellows again and sat up smoking cigarettes on the edge of the bed, dangling their bare legs over it the while and tapping their heels against its wooden side.

But what utterly melted the young woman's heart was Louiset's arrival. She had an access of maternal affection which was as violent as a mad fit. She would carry off her boy into the sunshine outside to watch him kicking about; she would dress him like a little prince and roll with him in the grass. The moment he arrived she decided that he was to sleep near her, in the room next hers, where Mme Lerat, whom the country greatly affected, used to begin snoring the moment her head touched the pillow. Louiset did not hurt Zizi's position in the least. On the contrary, Nana said that she had now two children, and she treated them with the same wayward tenderness. At night, more than ten times running, she would leave Zizi to go and see if Louiset were breathing properly, but on her return she would re-embrace her Zizi and lavish¹⁸⁵ on him the caresses¹⁸⁶ that had been destined¹⁸⁷ for the child. She played at being Mamma while he wickedly enjoyed being dandled in the arms of the great wench and allowed himself to be rocked to and fro like a baby that is being sent to sleep. It was all so delightful, and Nana was so charmed with her present existence, that she seriously proposed to him never to leave the country. They would send all the other people away, and he, she and the child would live alone. And with that they would make a thousand plans till daybreak and never once hear Mme Lerat as she snored vigorously after the fatigues of a day spent in picking country flowers.

This charming existence lasted nearly a week. Count Muffat used to come every evening and go away again with disordered face and burning hands. One evening he was not even received, as Steiner had been obliged to run up to Paris. He was told that Madame was not well. Nana grew daily more disgusted at the notion of deceiving Georges. He was such an innocent lad, and he had such faith in her! She would have looked on herself as the lowest of the low had she played him false. Besides, it would have sickened her to do so! Zoe, who took her part in this affair in mute disdain¹⁸⁸, believed that Madame was growing senseless.

On the sixth day a band of visitors suddenly blundered into Nana's idyl. She had, indeed, invited a whole swarm¹⁸⁹ of people under the belief that none of them would come. And so one fine afternoon she was vastly astonished and annoyed to see an omnibus full of people pulling up outside the gate of La Mignotte.

"It's us!" cried Mignon, getting down first from the conveyance¹⁹⁰ and extracting then his sons Henri and Charles.

Labordette thereupon appeared and began handing out an interminable file of ladies--Lucy Stewart, Caroline Hequet, Tatan Nene, Maria Blond. Nana was in hopes that they would end there, when La Faloise sprang from the step in order to receive Gaga and her daughter Amelie in his trembling arms. That brought the number up to eleven people. Their installation proved a laborious¹⁹² undertaking¹⁹³. There were five spare rooms at La Mignotte, one of which was already occupied by Mme Lerat and Louiset. The largest was devoted¹⁹⁴ to the Gaga and La Faloise establishment, and it was decided that Amelie should sleep on a truckle bed in the dressing room at the side. Mignon and his two sons had the third room. Labordette the fourth. There thus remained one room which was transformed into a dormitory with four beds in it for Lucy, Caroline, Tatan and Maria. As to Steiner, he would sleep on the divan¹⁹⁵ in the drawing room. At the end of an hour, when everyone was duly settled, Nana, who had begun by being furious, grew enchanted at the thought of playing hostess on a grand scale. The ladies complimented her on La Mignotte. "It's a stunning¹⁹⁶ property, my dear!" And then, too, they brought her quite a whiff of Parisian air, and talking all together with bursts of laughter and exclamation⁶⁹ and emphatic¹⁹⁷ little gestures, they gave her all the petty gossip of the week just past. By the by, and how about Bordenave? What had he said about her prank¹⁹⁸? Oh, nothing much! After bawling¹⁹⁹ about having her brought back by the police, he had simply put somebody else in her place at night.

Little Violaine was the understudy, and she had even obtained a very pretty success as the Blonde Venus. Which piece of news made Nana rather serious.

It was only four o'clock in the afternoon, and there was some talk of taking a stroll around.

"Oh, I haven't told you," said Nana, "I was just off to get up potatoes when you arrived."

Thereupon they all wanted to go and dig potatoes without even changing their dresses first. It was quite a party. The gardener and two helpers were already in the potato field at the end of the grounds. The ladies knelt down and began fumbling²⁰⁰ in the mold with their beringed fingers, shouting gaily²⁰¹ whenever they discovered a potato of exceptional size. It struck them as so amusing! But Tatan Nene was in a state of triumph! So many were the potatoes she had gathered in her youth that she forgot herself entirely and gave the others much good advice, treating them like geese the while. The gentlemen toiled²⁰² less strenuously²⁰³. Mignon looked every inch the good citizen and father and made his stay in the country an occasion for completing his boys' education. Indeed, he spoke to them of Parmentier!

Dinner that evening was wildly hilarious²⁰⁴. The company ate ravenously²⁰⁵. Nana, in a state of great elevation²⁰⁶, had a warm disagreement with her butler, an individual who had been in service at the bishop's palace in Orleans. The ladies smoked over their coffee. An earsplitting noise of merrymaking issued from the open windows and died out far away under the serene²⁰⁷ evening sky while peasants, belated in the lanes, turned and looked at the flaring²⁰⁸ rooms.

"It's most tiresome²⁰⁹ that you're going back the day after tomorrow," said Nana. "But never mind, we'll get up an excursion all the same!"

They decided to go on the morrow, Sunday, and visit the ruins of the old Abbey of Chamont, which were some seven kilometers distant. Five carriages would come out from Orleans, take up the company after lunch and bring them back to dinner at La Mignotte at about seven. It would be delightful.

That evening, as his wont was, Count Muffat mounted the hill to ring at the outer gate. But the brightly lit windows and the shouts of laughter astonished him. When, however, he recognized Mignon's voice, he understood it all and went off, raging at this new obstacle, driven to extremities²¹⁰, bent on some violent act. Georges passed through a little door of which he had the key, slipped along the staircase walls and went quietly up into Nana's room. Only he had to wait for her till past midnight. She appeared at last in a high state of intoxication²¹¹ and more maternal even than on the previous nights. Whenever she had drunk anything she became so amorous²¹² as to be absurd. Accordingly she now insisted on his accompanying her to the Abbey of Chamont. But he stood out against this; he was afraid of being seen. If he were to be seen driving with her there would be an atrocious scandal. But she burst into tears and evinced the noisy despair of a slighted woman. And he thereupon consoled her and formally promised to be one of the party.

"So you do love me very much," she blurted²¹³ out. "Say you love me very much. Oh, my darling old bear, if I were to die would you feel it very much? Confess!"

At Les Fondettes the near neighborhood of Nana had utterly disorganized the party. Every morning during lunch good Mme Hugon returned to the subject despite herself, told her guests the news the gardener had brought her and gave evidence of the absorbing curiosity with which notorious courtesans are able to inspire even the worthiest²¹⁴ old ladies. Tolerant though she was, she was revolted and maddened by a vague presentiment²¹⁵ of coming ill, which frightened her in the evenings as thoroughly²¹⁶ as if a wild beast had escaped from a menagerie and were known to be lurking²¹⁷ in the countryside.

She began trying to pick a little quarrel with her guests, whom she each and all accused of prowling round La Mignotte. Count Vandeuvres had been seen laughing on the highroad with a golden-haired lady, but he defended himself against the accusation²¹⁸; he denied that it was Nana, the fact being that Lucy had been with him and had told him how she had just turned her third prince out of doors. The Marquis de Chouard used also to go out every day, but his excuse was doctor's orders. Toward Daguenet and Fauchery Mme Hugon behaved unjustly too. The former especially never left Les Fondettes, for he had given up the idea of renewing the old connection and was busy paying the most respectful attentions to Estelle. Fauchery also stayed with the Muffat ladies. On one occasion only he had met Mignon with an armful of flowers, putting his sons through a course of botanical instruction in a by-path. The two men had shaken hands and given each other the news about Rose. She was perfectly well and happy; they had both received a letter from her that morning in which she besought them to profit by the fresh country air for some days longer. Among all her guests the old lady spared only Count Muffat and Georges. The count, who said he had serious business in Orleans, could certainly not be running after the bad woman, and as to Georges, the poor child was at last causing her grave anxiety, seeing that every evening he was seized with atrocious sick headaches which kept him to his bed in broad daylight.

Meanwhile Fauchery had become the Countess Sabine's faithful attendant in the absence during each afternoon of Count Muffat. Whenever they went to the end of the park he carried her campstool and her sunshade. Besides, he amused her with the original witticisms²¹⁹ peculiar²²⁰ to a second-rate journalist, and in so doing he prompted her to one of those sudden intimacies²²¹ which are allowable in the country. She had apparently²²² consented to it from the first, for she had grown quite a girl again in the society of a young man whose noisy humor seemed unlikely to compromize her. But now and again, when for a second or two they found themselves alone behind the shrubs²²³, their eyes would meet; they would pause amid their laughter, grow suddenly serious and view one another darkly, as though they had fathomed²²⁴ and divined their inmost hearts.On Friday a fresh place had to be laid at lunch time. M. Theophile Venot, whom Mme Hugon remembered to have invited at the Muffats' last winter, had just arrived. He sat stooping humbly²²⁵ forward and behaved with much good nature, as became a man of no account, nor did he seem to notice the anxious deference²²⁶ with which he was treated. When he had succeeded in getting the company to forget his presence he sat nibbling²²⁷ small lumps of sugar during dessert, looking sharply up at Daguenet as the latter handed Estelle strawberries and listening to Fauchery, who was making the countess very merry over one of his anecdotes²²⁸. Whenever anyone looked at HIM he smiled in his quiet way. When the guests rose from table he took the count's arm and drew him into the park. He was known to have exercised great influence over the latter ever since the death of his mother. Indeed, singular stories were told about the kind of dominion²²⁹ which the ex-lawyer enjoyed in that household. Fauchery, whom his arrival doubtless embarrassed, began explaining to Georges and Daguenet the origin of the man's wealth. It was a big lawsuit²³⁰ with the management of which the Jesuits had entrusted²³¹ him in days gone by. In his opinion the worthy²³² man was a terrible fellow despite his gentle, plump face and at this time of day had his finger in all the intrigues²³³ of the priesthood. The two young men had begun joking at this, for they thought the little old gentleman had an idiotic²³⁴ expression. The idea of an unknown Venot, a gigantic Venot, acting¹⁹¹ for the whole body of the clergy²³⁵, struck them in the light of a comical invention. But they were silenced when, still leaning on the old man's arm, Count Muffat reappeared with blanched²³⁶ cheeks and eyes reddened as if by recent weeping.

I bet they've been chatting about hell," muttered Fauchery in a bantering²³⁷ tone.

The Countess Sabine overheard the remark. She turned her head slowly, and their eyes met in that long gaze with which they were accustomed to sound one another prudently²³⁸ before venturing once for all.

After the breakfast it was the guests' custom to betake themselves to a little flower garden on a terrace overlooking the plain. This Sunday afternoon was exquisitely²³⁹ mild. There had been signs of rain toward ten in the morning, but the sky, without ceasing to be covered, had, as it were, melted into milky²⁴⁰ fog, which now hung like a cloud of luminous²⁴¹ dust in the golden sunlight. Soon Mme Hugon proposed that they should step down through a little doorway²⁴² below the terrace and take a walk on foot in the direction of Gumieres and as far as the Choue. She was fond of walking and, considering her threescore years, was very active. Besides, all her guests declared that there was no need to drive. So in a somewhat straggling order they reached the wooden bridge over the river. Fauchery and Daguenet headed the column with the Muffat ladies and were followed by the count and the marquis, walking on either side of Mme Hugon, while Vandeuvres, looking fashionable and out of his element on the highroad, marched in the rear, smoking a cigar. M. Venot, now slackening, now hastening his pace, passed smilingly from group to group, as though bent on losing no scrap²⁴³ of conversation.

"To think of poor dear Georges at Orleans!" said Mme Hugon. "He was anxious to consult old Doctor Tavernier, who never goes out now, on the subject of his sick headaches. Yes, you were not up, as he went off before seven o'clock. But it'll be a change for him all the same."

She broke off, exclaiming:

"Why, what's making them stop on the bridge?"

The fact was the ladies and Fauchery and Daguenet were standing²⁴⁴ stock-still on the crown of the bridge. They seemed to be hesitating as though some obstacle or other rendered them uneasy and yet the way lay clear before them.

"Go on!" cried the count.

They never moved and seemed to be watching the approach of something which the rest had not yet observed. Indeed the road wound considerably²⁴⁵ and was bordered by a thick screen of poplar trees. Nevertheless, a dull sound began to grow momentarily louder, and soon there was a noise of wheels, mingled with shouts of laughter and the cracking of whips. Then suddenly five carriages came into view, driving one behind the other. They were crowded to bursting, and bright with a galaxy²⁴⁶ of white, blue and pink costumes.

"What is it?" said Mme Hugon in some surprise.

Then her instinct told her, and she felt indignant at such an untoward²⁴⁷ invasion of her road.

"Oh, that woman!" she murmured. "Walk on, pray walk on. Don't appear to notice."

But it was too late. The five carriages which were taking Nana and her circle to the ruins of Chamont rolled on to the narrow wooden bridge. Fauchery, Daguenet and the Muffat ladies were forced to step backward, while Mme Hugon and the others had also to stop in Indian file along the roadside. It was a superb ride past! The laughter in the carriages had ceased, and faces were turned with an expression of curiosity. The rival parties took stock of each other amid a silence broken only by the measured trot²⁴⁸ of the horses. In the first carriage Maria Blond and Tatan Nene were lolling backward like a pair of duchesses, their skirts swelling²⁴⁹ forth over the wheels, and as they passed they cast disdainful glances at the honest women who were walking afoot. Then came Gaga, filling up a whole seat and half smothering La Faloise beside her so that little but his small anxious face was visible. Next followed Caroline Hequet with Labordette, Lucy Stewart with Mignon and his boys and at the close of all Nana in a victoria with Steiner and on a bracket seat in front of her that poor, darling Zizi, with his knees jammed against her own.

"It's the last of them, isn't it?" the countess placidly²⁵⁰ asked Fauchery, pretending at the same time not to recognize Nana.

The wheel of the victoria came near grazing her, but she did not step back. The two women had exchanged a deeply significant glance. It was, in fact, one of those momentary²⁵¹ scrutinies²⁵² which are at once complete and definite. As to the men, they behaved unexceptionably. Fauchery and Daguenet looked icy and recognized no one. The marquis, more nervous than they and afraid of some farcical ebullition on the part of the ladies, had plucked a blade of grass and was rolling it between his fingers. Only Vandeuvres, who had stayed somewhat apart from the rest of the company, winked²⁵³ imperceptibly at Lucy, who smiled at him as she passed.

"Be careful!" M. Venot had whispered as he stood behind Count Muffat.

The latter in extreme agitation²⁵⁴ gazed after this illusive²⁵⁵ vision of Nana while his wife turned slowly round and scrutinized²⁵⁶ him. Then he cast his eyes on the ground as though to escape the sound of galloping²⁵⁷ hoofs²⁵⁸ which were sweeping²⁵⁹ away both his senses and his heart. He could have cried aloud in his agony, for, seeing Georges among Nana's skirts, he understood it all now. A mere child! He was brokenhearted at the thought that she should have preferred a mere child to him! Steiner was his equal, but that child!

Mme Hugon, in the meantime, had not at once recognized Georges. Crossing the bridge, he was fain to jump into the river, but Nana's knees restrained him. Then white as a sheet and icy cold, he sat rigidly²⁶⁰ up in his place and looked at no one. It was just possible no one would notice him.

"Oh, my God!" said the old lady suddenly. "Georges is with her!"

The carriages had passed quite through the uncomfortable crowd of people who recognized and yet gave no sign of recognition. The short critical encounter seemed to have been going on for ages. And now the wheels whirled away the carriageloads of girls more gaily than ever. Toward the fair open country they went, amid the buffetings of the fresh air of heaven. Bright-colored fabrics²⁶² fluttered in the wind, and the merry laughter burst forth anew as the voyagers began jesting and glancing back at the respectable folks halting with looks of annoyance at the roadside. Turning round, Nana could see the walking party hesitating and then returning the way they had come without crossing the bridge. Mme Hugon was leaning silently on Count Muffat's arm, and so sad was her look that no one dared comfort her.

"I say, did you see Fauchery, dear?" Nana shouted to Lucy, who was leaning out of the carriage in front. "What a brute²⁶³ he was! He shall pay out for that. And Paul, too, a fellow I've been so kind to! Not a sign! They're polite, I'm sure."

And with that she gave Steiner a terrible dressing, he having ventured to suggest that the gentlemen's attitude had been quite as it should be. So then they weren't even worth a bow? The first blackguard that came by might insult them? Thanks! He was the right sort, too, he was! It couldn't be better! One ought always to bow to a woman.

"Who's the tall one?" asked Lucy at random²⁶⁴, shouting through the noise of the wheels.

"It's the Countess Muffat," answered Steiner.

"There now! I suspected as much," said Nana. "Now, my dear fellow, it's all very well her being a countess, for she's no better than she should be. Yes, yes, she's no better that she should be. You know, I've got an eye for such things, I have! And now I know your countess as well as if I had been at the making of her! I'll bet you that she's the mistress of that viper²⁶⁵ Fauchery! I tell you, she's his mistress! Between women you guess that sort of thing at once!"

Steiner shrugged²⁶⁷ his shoulders. Since the previous day his irritation²⁶⁸ had been hourly increasing. He had received letters which necessitated²⁶⁹ his leaving the following morning, added to which he did not much appreciate coming down to the country in order to sleep on the drawing-room divan.

"And this poor baby boy!" Nana continued, melting suddenly at sight of Georges's pale face as he still sat rigid⁷⁷ and breathless in front of her.

"D'you think Mamma recognized me?" he stammered at last.

"Oh, most surely she did! Why, she cried out! But it's my fault. He didn't want to come with us; I forced him to. Now listen, Zizi, would you like me to write to your mamma? She looks such a kind, decent sort of lady! I'll tell her that I never saw you before and that it was Steiner who brought you with him for the first time today."

"No, no, don't write," said Georges in great anxiety. "I'll explain it all myself. Besides, if they bother me about it I shan't go home again."

But he continued plunged²⁷⁰ in thought, racking his brains for excuses against his return home in the evening. The five carriages were rolling through a flat country along an interminable straight road bordered by fine trees. The country was bathed in a silvery-gray atmosphere. The ladies still continued shouting remarks from carriage to carriage behind the backs of the drivers, who chuckled²⁷¹ over their extraordinary fares. Occasionally one of them would rise to her feet to look at the landscape and, supporting herself on her neighbor's shoulder, would grow extremely excited till a sudden jolt²⁷² brought her down to the seat again. Caroline Hequet in the meantime was having a warm discussion with Labordette. Both of them were agreed that Nana would be selling her country house before three months were out, and Caroline was urging Labordette to buy it back for her for as little as it was likely to fetch. In front of them La Faloise, who was very amorous and could not get at Gaga's apoplectic²⁷³ neck, was imprinting²⁷⁴ kisses on her spine²⁷⁵ through her dress, the strained fabric²⁶¹ of which was nigh splitting, while Amelie, perching stiffly on the bracket seat, was bidding them be quiet, for she was horrified²⁷⁶ to be sitting idly by, watching her mother being kissed. In the next carriage Mignon, in order to astonish Lucy, was making his sons recite a fable²⁷⁷ by La Fontaine. Henri was prodigious²⁷⁸ at this exercise; he could spout²⁷⁹ you one without pause or hesitation²⁸⁰. But Maria Blond, at the head of the procession, was beginning to feel extremely bored. She was tired of hoaxing²⁸¹ that blockhead of a Tatan Nene with a story to the effect that the Parisian dairywomen were wont to fabricate eggs with a mixture of paste and saffron. The distance was too great: were they never going to get to their destination? And the question was transmitted from carriage to carriage and finally reached Nana, who, after questioning her driver, got up and shouted:

"We've not got a quarter of an hour more to go. You see that church behind the trees down there?"

Then she continued:

"Do you know, it appears the owner of the Chateau²⁸² de Chamont is an old lady of Napoleon's time? Oh, SHE was a merry one! At least, so Joseph told me, and he heard it from the servants at the bishop's palace. There's no one like it nowadays, and for the matter of that, she's become goody-goody."

"What's her name?" asked Lucy.

"Madame d'Anglars."

"Irma d'Anglars--I knew her!" cried Gaga.

Admiring exclamations burst from the line of carriages and were borne down the wind as the horses quickened their trot. Heads were stretched out in Gaga's direction; Maria Blond and Tatan Nene turned round and knelt on the seat while they leaned over the carriage hood¹⁶, and the air was full of questions and cutting remarks, tempered by a certain obscure admiration²⁸³. Gaga had known her! The idea filled them all with respect for that far-off past.

"Dear me, I was young then," continued Gaga. "But never mind, I remember it all. I saw her pass. They said she was disgusting in her own house, but, driving in her carriage, she WAS just smart! And the stunning tales about her! Dirty doings and money flung about like one o'clock! I don't wonder at all that she's got a fine place. Why, she used to clean out a man's pockets as soon as look at him. Irma d'Anglars still in the land of the living! Why, my little pets, she must be near ninety."

At this the ladies became suddenly serious. Ninety years old! The deuce, there wasn't one of them, as Lucy loudly declared, who would live to that age. They were all done for. Besides, Nana said she didn't want to make old bones; it wouldn't be amusing. They were drawing near their destination, and the conversation was interrupted by the cracking of whips as the drivers put their horses to their best paces. Yet amid all the noise Lucy continued talking and, suddenly changing the subject, urged Nana to come to town with them all to-morrow. The exhibition was soon to close, and the ladies must really return to Paris, where the season was surpassing their expectations. But Nana was obstinate²⁸⁴. She loathed²⁸⁵ Paris; she wouldn't set foot there yet!

"Eh, darling, we'll stay?" she said, giving Georges's knees a squeeze, as though Steiner were of no account.

The carriages had pulled up abruptly²⁸⁶, and in some surprise the company got out on some waste ground at the bottom of a small hill. With his whip one of the drivers had to point them out the ruins of the old Abbey of Chamont where they lay hidden among trees. It was a great sell! The ladies voted them silly. Why, they were only a heap of old stones with briers growing over them and part of a tumble-down tower. It really wasn't worth coming a couple of leagues to see that! Then the driver pointed out to them the countryseat, the park of which stretched away from the abbey, and he advised them to take a little path and follow the walls surrounding it. They would thus make the tour of the place while the carriages would go and await them in the village square. It was a delightful walk, and the company agreed to the proposition.

"Lord love me, Irma knows how to take care of herself!" said Gaga, halting before a gate at the corner of the park wall abutting²⁸⁷ on the highroad.

All of them stood silently gazing at the enormous bush which stopped up the gateway²⁸⁸. Then following the little path, they skirted the park wall, looking up from time to time to admire the trees, whose lofty branches stretched out over them and formed a dense²⁸⁹ vault²⁹⁰ of greenery. After three minutes or so they found themselves in front of a second gate. Through this a wide lawn was visible, over which two venerable oaks cast dark masses of shadow. Three minutes farther on yet another gate afforded them an extensive view of a great avenue, a perfect corridor of shadow, at the end of which a bright spot of sunlight gleamed like a star. They stood in silent, wondering admiration, and then little by little exclamations burst from their lips. They had been trying hard to joke about it all with a touch of envy at heart, but this decidedly and immeasurably impressed them. What a genius that Irma was! A sight like this gave you a rattling notion of the woman! The trees stretched away and away, and there were endlessly recurrent patches of ivy²⁹¹ along the wall with glimpses of lofty roofs and screens of poplars interspersed²⁹² with dense masses of elms and aspens. Was there no end to it then? The ladies would have liked to catch sight of the mansion²⁹³ house, for they were weary of circling on and on, weary of seeing nothing but leafy recesses²⁹⁴ through every opening they came to. They took the rails of the gate in their hands and pressed their faces against the ironwork. And thus excluded and isolated²⁹⁵, a feeling of respect began to overcome them as they thought of the castle lost to view in surrounding immensity. Soon, being quite unused to walking, they grew tired. And the wall did not leave off; at every turn of the small deserted²⁹⁶ path the same range of gray stones stretched ahead of them. Some of them began to despair of ever getting to the end of it and began talking of returning. But the more their long walk fatigued²⁹⁷ them, the more respectful they became, for at each successive step they were increasingly impressed by the tranquil²⁹⁸, lordly dignity of the domain²⁹⁹.

"It's getting silly, this is!" said Caroline Hequet, grinding her teeth.

Nana silenced her with a shrug²⁶⁶. For some moments past she had been rather pale and extremely serious and had not spoken a single word. Suddenly the path gave a final turn; the wall ended, and as they came out on the village square the mansion house stood before them on the farther side of its grand outer court. All stopped to admire the proud sweep of the wide steps, the twenty frontage windows, the arrangement of the three wings, which were built of brick framed by courses of stone. Henri IV had erewhile inhabited this historic mansion, and his room, with its great bed hung with Genoa velvet³⁰⁰, was still preserved there. Breathless with admiration, Nana gave a little childish sigh.

"Great God!" she whispered very quietly to herself.

But the party were deeply moved when Gaga suddenly announced that Irma herself was standing yonder in front of the church. She recognized her perfectly. She was as upright as of old, the hoary³⁰¹ campaigner, and that despite her age, and she still had those eyes which flashed when she moved in that proud way of hers! Vespers were just over, and for a second or two Madame stood in the church porch. She was dressed in a dark brown silk and looked very simple and very tall, her venerable face reminding one of some old marquise who had survived the horrors of the Great Revolution. In her right hand a huge Book of Hours shone in the sunlight, and very slowly she crossed the square, followed some fifteen paces off by a footman in livery. The church was emptying, and all the inhabitants of Chamont bowed before her with extreme respect. An old man even kissed her hand, and a woman wanted to fall on her knees. Truly this was a potent³⁰² queen, full of years and honors. She mounted her flight of steps and vanished from view.

"That's what one attains³⁰³ to when one has methodical habits!" said Mignon with an air of conviction, looking at his sons and improving the occasion.

Then everybody said his say. Labordette thought her extraordinarily³⁰⁴ well preserved. Maria Blond let slip a foul¹³⁸ expression and vexed Lucy, who declared that one ought to honor gray hairs. All the women, to sum up, agreed that she was a perfect marvel³⁰⁵. Then the company got into their conveyances³⁰⁶ again. From Chamont all the way to La Mignotte Nana remained silent. She had twice turned round to look back at the house, and now, lulled³⁰⁷ by the sound of the wheels, she forgot that Steiner was at her side and that Georges was in front of her. A vision had come up out of the twilight, and the great lady seemed still to be sweeping by with all the majesty³⁰⁸ of a potent queen, full of years and of honors.

That evening Georges re-entered Les Fondettes in time for dinner. Nana, who had grown increasingly absent-minded and singular in point of manner, had sent him to ask his mamma's forgiveness. It was his plain duty, she remarked severely³⁰⁹, growing suddenly solicitous³¹⁰ for the decencies of family life. She even made him swear not to return for the night; she was tired, and in showing proper obedience³¹¹ he was doing no more than his duty. Much bored by this moral discourse³¹², Georges appeared in his mother's presence with heavy heart and downcast head.

Fortunately for him his brother Philippe, a great merry devil of a military man, had arrived during the day, a fact which greatly curtailed³¹³ the scene he was dreading³¹⁴. Mme Hugon was content to look at him with eyes full of tears while Philippe, who had been put in possession of the facts, threatened to go and drag him home by the scruff of the neck if ever he went back into that woman's society. Somewhat comforted, Georges began slyly planning how to make his escape toward two o'clock next day in order to arrange about future meetings with Nana.

Nevertheless, at dinnertime the house party at Les Fondettes seemed not a little embarrassed. Vandeuvres had given notice of departure, for he was anxious to take Lucy back to Paris with him. He was amused at the idea of carrying off this girl whom he had known for ten years yet never desired. The Marquis de Chouard bent over his plate and meditated on Gaga's young lady. He could well remember dandling Lili on his knee. What a way children had of shooting up! This little thing was becoming extremely plump! But Count Muffat especially was silent and absorbed. His cheeks glowed, and he had given Georges one long look. Dinner over, he went upstairs, intending to shut himself in his bedroom, his pretext³¹⁵ being a slight feverish³¹⁶ attack. M. Venot had rushed after him, and upstairs in the bedroom a scene ensued. The count threw himself upon the bed and strove to stifle a fit of nervous sobbing in the folds of the pillow while M. Venot, in a soft voice, called him brother and advised him to implore³¹⁷ heaven for mercy. But he heard nothing: there was a rattle³¹⁸ in his throat. Suddenly he sprang off the bed and stammered:

"I am going there. I can't resist any longer."

"Very well," said the old man, "I go with you."

As they left the house two shadows were vanishing into the dark depths of a garden walk, for every evening now Fauchery and the Countess Sabine left Daguenet to help Estelle make tea. Once on the highroad the count walked so rapidly that his companion had to run in order to follow him. Though utterly out of breath, the latter never ceased showering on him the most conclusive³¹⁹ arguments against the temptations of the flesh. But the other never opened his mouth as he hurried away into the night. Arrived in front of La Mignotte, he said simply:

"I can't resist any longer. Go!"

"God's will be done then!" muttered M. Venot. "He uses every method to assure His final triumph. Your sin will become His weapon."

At La Mignotte there was much wrangling³²⁰ during the evening meal. Nana had found a letter from Bordenave awaiting her, in which he advised rest, just as though he were anxious to be rid of her. Little Violaine, he said, was being encored twice nightly. But when Mignon continued urging her to come away with them on the morrow Nana grew exasperated and declared that she did not intend taking advice from anybody. In other ways, too, her behavior at table was ridiculously stuck up. Mme Lerat having made some sharp little speech or other, she loudly announced that, God willing, she wasn't going to let anyone--no, not even her own aunt--make improper³²¹ remarks in her presence. After which she dreed her guests with honorable sentiments. She seemed to be suffering from a fit of stupid right-mindedness, and she treated them all to projects of religious education for Louiset and to a complete scheme of regeneration for herself. When the company began laughing she gave vent¹⁰¹ to profound opinions, nodding her head like a grocer's wife who knows what she is saying. Nothing but order could lead to fortune! And so far as she was concerned, she had no wish to die like a beggar! She set the ladies' teeth on edge. They burst out in protest. Could anyone have been converting Nana? No, it was impossible! But she sat quite still and with absent looks once more plunged into dreamland, where the vision of an extremely wealthy and greatly courted Nana rose up before her.

The household were going upstairs to bed when Muffat put in an appearance. It was Labordette who caught sight of him in the garden. He understood it all at once and did him a service, for he got Steiner out of the way and, taking his hand, led him along the dark corridor as far as Nana's bedroom. In affairs of this kind Labordette was wont to display the most perfect tact¹⁵¹ and cleverness. Indeed, he seemed delighted to be making other people happy. Nana showed no surprise; she was only somewhat annoyed by the excessive heat of Muffat's pursuit. Life was a serious affair, was it not? Love was too silly: it led to nothing. Besides, she had her scruples³²² in view of Zizi's tender age. Indeed, she had scarcely behaved quite fairly toward him. Dear me, yes, she was choosing the proper course again in taking up with an old fellow.

"Zoe," she said to the lady's maid, who was enchanted at the thought of leaving the country, "pack the trunks when you get up tomorrow. We are going back to Paris."

And she went to bed with Muffat but experienced no pleasure

昨天晚上，缪法伯爵偕同妻子和女儿，来到了丰岱特庄园，呆在庄园里的只有于贡夫人和她的儿子乔治，她邀请他们到庄园来住一个星期。他们的房屋是十七世纪末建造的，四周是方方正正的大围墙，房子外观朴实无华；但花园里却绿树成荫，几口池塘里的水都是流水，从山泉流来。庄园坐落在由奥尔良通往巴黎的公路旁边，树木葱葱绿绿，宛如一片碧浪，打破了这个平原地区的一望无垠的农田的单调景色。

十一点钟，午饭的钟声敲响第二下时，大家便聚集到一起，于贡夫人脸上浮现出慈母般的微笑，在萨比娜的脸颊上吻了两下，说道：

“你知道，我住在乡下已经习惯了……看见你来了，我仿佛年轻了二十岁……在你以前住过的房间里，这一夜，睡得好吧？”

接着，还未等到萨比娜回答，她又转向爱丝泰勒，说道：

“这个小姑娘也是一觉睡到天亮吧？……来吻我一下吧，我的孩子……”

大家已经在一间宽敞的饭厅里坐了下来，饭厅窗户都朝向花园。大家坐在大餐桌的一头，互相靠得很紧，这样显得更亲热些。萨比娜兴高采烈，此时此地唤起了她对年轻时代的回忆：她曾经在丰岱特住过几个月，在这里作过长距离的散步，夏天的一个夜晚，不小心掉进一口池塘里，在一个衣柜里发现一本旧骑士小说，冬天她坐在葡萄枝点燃的火堆前读这本小说。乔治已有几个月没有看见伯爵夫人了，他觉得她有些古怪，容貌似乎有些变化；相反，这根瘦竹杆子爱丝泰勒，却显得更加平平常常，沉默寡言，呆板得很。

大家吃得很简单，只吃了带壳煮的溏心蛋和排骨。于贡夫人是个家庭妇女，她抱怨肉店真不像话，送来的肉从来没有一块是合她意的，她只好一切都到奥尔良去买。另外，这次客人们吃得不满意，要怪他们自己，因为他们姗姗来迟，错过了时节。

“你们真没有常识，”她说道，“我从六月份起就一直盼望你们来，眼下已到了九月中旬……所以，你们瞧，没有什么景色可欣赏了。”

她用手指指了指外面已经开始发黄的草地里的树木。天空阴沉沉的，远处笼罩在一片淡蓝色的雾气中，一派恬静、寂静景色，令人惆怅。

“啊！我还要等几个客人，”她继续说道，“客人来了我们就快乐起来……乔治邀请的客人首先是福什利先生和达盖内先生，你们大概认识他们吧？……还有德·旺德夫尔先生，他在五年前就答应我要来的；今年他也许会下决心来吧。”

“好啊！”伯爵夫人笑着说，“那怕只邀请到旺德夫尔一个人也好！他非常忙。”

“菲利普呢？”缪法问道。

“菲利普请过假了，”老太太回答道，“等他回来时，你们也许不在丰岱特了。”

咖啡端来了。大家一下子又谈到巴黎，有人提到斯泰内的名字。听到这个名字，于贡夫人轻轻叫了一声。

“顺便问一下，”她说道，“斯泰内先生，是不是就是一天晚上我在你家里遇到的那个胖子，是个银行家？……这个人真不光彩！他在离这里一里远的地方，为一个女演员买了一座别墅，就在舒河后面，靠近居米埃尔那里！这个地方的人对他都很反感……我的朋友，你知道这件事吗？”

“我一点也不知道，”缪法回答道，“哦，斯泰内在附近买了一座别墅！”

乔治听到她母亲提起这件事时，正在低头喝咖啡；他抬起头来，瞧瞧伯爵，对他的回答感到很惊讶。他为什么这样公然撒谎？而伯爵呢，他也注意到了年轻人的动作，他以怀疑的目光瞧了他一下。于贡夫人继续说得更详细了：这座别墅取名“藏娇楼”，沿舒河而上，一直到居米埃尔，再过一座桥，就到了。这样走，整整多走二公里；不然，就要涉水过河，要冒落水的危险。

“那个女演员叫什么名字？”伯爵夫人问道。

“啊！对了，有人向我提到过她，”老太太喃喃说道，“今天早上园丁告诉我们的时候，乔治，你也在场……”

乔治装出记不清楚的样子。缪法一边用手指转动着一把汤匙，一边等待乔治回答。伯爵夫人对她丈夫说道：

“斯泰内先生是否就是那个与游艺剧院的女歌星娜娜相好的人？”

“娜娜，正是她，真讨厌！”于贡夫人气愤地说道，“有人在‘藏娇楼’里等她来呢。这些情况都是园丁告诉我的……你说是吗，乔治？园丁说她今天晚上就来。”

伯爵惊讶得身上轻轻打了一下哆嗦，乔治抢先说道：

“哦，妈妈，园丁不了解情况……刚才车夫说的情况正好相反，后天之前不会有任何人来‘藏娇楼’。”

乔治竭力做出神态自然的样子，一边用眼角观察伯爵对他的话的反应。伯爵这时又转动起小汤匙来，看样子他放心了。伯爵夫人目不转睛地凝望着远处花园的淡蓝色薄雾，似乎不再听他们谈话。随着脸上浮现的一丝微笑，她的思路跟着突然唤起的秘密想法转动；这时爱丝泰勒直挺挺地坐在椅子上，听了大家谈到娜娜的情况，她的白皙的处女脸上，没有丝毫反应。

“我的天，”于贡太太沉默了一会，恢复了她纯朴善良的脾气，悄悄说道，“我不该生气……每个人都要活下去嘛……这个女人，如果我们在路上遇到她，不同她打招呼就行了。”

大家散席时，她还埋怨萨比娜伯爵夫人今年不该让她等得那么久。但是伯爵夫人为自己辩护，她把来迟的责任推到她丈夫的身上；有两次连箱子都收拾好了，临走前他又变挂了，说有紧急事情要处理；后来，看来旅行计划完全告吹了，他却又突然决定来了。于是，老太太又说，乔治也一样，两次说要来，结果都没有来，后来她已不指望他来了，结果他却在前天晚上突然来到了丰岱特。大家走向花园，两个女人走在中间，两个男人走在左右两边，他们低着头，静静地听她们讲话。

“不过这也不要紧，”于贡太太说，她在她儿子的金色头发上吻了吻，“小治治真乖，这次他肯来到这个偏僻的乡间，同妈妈在一起……这个好治治，他还没有忘记我。”

下午，她感到焦虑不安，乔治刚刚离席时，就说头脑发沉，似乎慢慢地变成剧烈的偏头痛。快到四点钟时，他就想上楼睡觉，这是唯一的治疗方法；只要他一觉睡到第二天早上，就什么病也没有了。他母亲坚持要亲自送他上床睡觉。但她一出了房间，乔治就从床上跳下来，把门反锁上了，他借口说把自己反锁在房间里，免得别人来打扰他；然后，他亲热地叫道：“晚安，妈妈，明天见！”同时他答应一觉睡到大天亮。事实上，他下床后没有再躺下，脸上毫无病容，目光炯炯，他悄悄地穿上衣服，然后，坐到一张椅子上，一动不动，静静地等待着。晚饭钟声敲响时，他窥伺着向饭厅走去的缪法。十分钟后，他觉得肯定不会被人看见了，就敏捷地爬上窗户，抓住一条下水管溜到室外；他的卧室在二楼，窗户朝向房子的背面。他钻进一片树丛中，出了花园，在田野上奔跑，向着舒河方向而去，他的肚子里空空的，激动得心怦怦直跳。夜幕降临了，开始下起毛毛细雨。

这天晚上，娜娜确实要到“藏娇楼”来。自从五月份斯泰内给她买下这座别墅以来，她不时想到这里来居住，为这事她还流过泪呢；可是，每次她要来，博尔德纳夫总是连最短时间的假也不批准，说要到九月份才能让她走，借口在博览会期间，他不想找别人来代她演出，那怕一个晚上也不行。快到八月底时，他又说要等到十月份才行。娜娜恼火了，宣称九月十五日她要到“藏娇楼”来。她甚至跟博尔德纳夫对着干，当着他的面，邀请一大群人同往。她一直巧妙地拒绝缪法对她的追求，一天下午，他在她家里，浑身哆嗦着苦苦哀求她，她终于答应了他的要求，但是要她去了“藏娇楼”才行；她也要求他在九月十五日到那里。到了十二日，她心血来潮，突然一个人带着佐爱走了。如果博尔德纳夫事先知道了，也许会想出办法不让她走。她给博尔德纳夫捎去医生开的一张证明，把他扔下不管，这样做她觉得非常开心。她第一个到达“藏娇楼”，神不知鬼不觉地在那里住上两天的想法在她头脑里产生时，她便催促佐爱收拾行李，把她推上出租马车。在马车里，她对佐爱非常亲热，一边请求她原谅，一边吻她。一直到了火车站的小吃部，她才想到要写一封信通知斯泰内。她请斯泰内在大后天与她见面，如果他希望他们见面时她精神充沛的话。接着，她的头脑里又突然出现另一个想法，她又写了一封信给她的姑妈，请她立刻把小路易带来。这样对小宝宝非常有好处，大家在树荫下一起玩玩，该多好啊！从巴黎到奥尔良，她在车厢里一直谈着这件事，谈着谈着，她的眼睛都流泪了，突然大发母爱之情，竟把花呀、鸟呀和她的孩子夹在一起大谈特谈。

“藏娇楼”别墅距火车站三法里有余。娜娜花了一个小时才雇到一辆马车，那是一辆破旧的敞篷四轮马车，车速很慢，车轮发出哐当哐当的声音。车夫是个不爱言谈的矮个子老头，她马上缠着他，向他提出一连串问题。例如：他是否经常在“藏娇楼”别墅前经过？“藏娇楼”是否就在这座小山岗的后面？那儿是否树木很多？那座房子是否在老远的地方就能望见？矮老头子被问得支支吾吾。娜娜坐在马车里，高兴得坐立不安；而佐爱则不然，还在为匆匆忙忙地离开巴黎而怄气呢，她直撅撅地坐在里面，面色阴郁。马突然停步了，娜娜以为到了目的地。她把头探到车门外，问道：

“我们到了吗？嗯？”

车夫没有回答，扬起马鞭赶马，马艰难地爬到了坡上。娜娜喜出望外地眺望灰色天空下的那片一望无垠的原野，只见天空中乌云密布。

“啊！佐爱，你瞧，这是一片草！……这是麦子吗？……天呀！多美的景色！”

“人家一看太太就知道不是乡下人，”女仆绷着脸终于开口了，“我呀，我对农村倒很熟悉，我在一个牙科医生家里干过活，他在布吉瓦尔有一座房屋……所以，我知道今天晚上一定很冷，这一带天气很潮湿。”

他们到了树丛下面。娜娜像只小狗，嗅着树叶发出的香味。在大路转弯的地方，她忽然瞥见露在树枝中的房屋的一角。大概就是那儿吧；接着，她又跟车夫谈话了，车夫总是摇摇头，意思是她说得不对。后来，他们下山岗的另一道坡时，车夫用马鞭一指，低声说道：

“瞧，在那边。”

她站起来，整个身子伸到车门外。

“哪儿？哪儿？”她什么也没望见，脸色发白，大声叫道。

她终于望见一角墙壁。于是她在马车里又叫又跳，情绪非常激动，简直控制不住自己了。

“佐爱，我望见了，我望见了！……你到这边看看……啊！屋顶上还有一个砖砌的阳台呢。那是一个暖房！啊！这座房子真大……啊，我多么高兴！看吧，佐爱，看吧！”

马车在栅栏前面停了下来。一扇小门打开了，走出一个瘦高个子园丁，手里拿着一顶鸭舌帽。娜娜又摆出一副尊严的样子，因为车夫虽然紧闭嘴不说话，但样子却像在暗暗发笑。她克制住自己，没有向里面跑，站在那儿听车夫讲话。园丁是个爱唠叨的人，他请太太原谅那里没有收拾整齐，因为他早上刚刚收到太太的信。娜娜虽然尽量克制自己，还是拔腿就走，她走得很快，佐爱赶不上她。走到小路的一头，她停下脚步，站了片刻，把整座房子看了一眼。这是一座颇具意大利风格的大别墅，旁边有一座较小的房屋，是一个英国富翁在那不勒斯居住两年后，到这里建造的；建后不久他就住厌了。

“我领太太看看吧。”园丁说道。

娜娜抢先走在前头，她大声对他说，叫他不必去了，她喜欢一个人去看，她喜欢这样。她连帽子也没有脱下来，就跑进了房间里，一边喊佐爱，一边发表议论，声音从走廊的一端传到另一端，使这座几个月无人住居的、空荡荡的房子里充满了她的喊声和笑声。她一进门看到的是前厅，里面有点潮湿，不过，这倒没关系，没有人在这里睡觉。客厅的窗户都朝向草坪，显得十分雅致；只是红色的家具很难看，她将把家具换掉。至于饭厅，嗯，漂亮极了！在巴黎如果有这样大的一间饭厅，什么样的婚筵酒席都能摆！她走到二楼时，突然想起还没有看厨房，就又下楼了，一看就惊叫起来，洗碗槽那么漂亮，炉膛那么大，简直能在里面烤一只整山羊，佐爱看了肯定会赞不绝口。她又上了二楼，她的卧室令她兴奋不已，这间卧室是由一个奥尔良的地毯商人布置的，里面挂的全是提花装饰布，款式是路易十六式的，颜色是粉红色的。啊！在里面睡觉该是多么惬意啊！真是一个明星演员的安乐窝！另外，还有四五间客房；然后再往上去是漂亮的阁楼，里面非常适合放箱子。佐爱很不乐意，总是慢吞吞地跟随在夫人后面，对每个房间冷淡地看上一眼。她望着太太向阁楼上爬，等她爬到陡直的梯子顶端时，佐爱看不见她了。谢天谢地！她才不想跟在太太后边摔断腿呢。可是这时她听见一个声音从远处传来，仿佛是从壁炉的烟囱里传来的。

“佐爱！佐爱！你在哪里？上来吧！……你真想象不到……

这里简直是仙境。”

佐爱嘀嘀咕咕往上爬。她发现太太站在屋顶上，手撑在砖头栏杆上，眺望着越远越开阔的山谷。地平线一望无垠，淹没在一片灰蒙蒙的雾气中，一阵狂风夹着细雨拂来。娜娜只好用双手抓住帽子，生怕它被风吹走，她的裙子被风吹得飘拂着，像旗帜一样在风中噼啪作响。

“啊！不，我不来了！”佐爱一边把头缩回来，一边说道，“太太会被风刮跑的……这倒霉的天气！”

太太没有听见她的话。她俯视脚下的这片产业：占地有七八阿尔邦①，四面有围墙。这时，菜园的景色把她完全吸引住了，她连忙向楼下奔去，在楼梯上与女仆撞了个满怀，她结结巴巴地说道：

“园子里长满了白菜！……啊！白菜有这么大！……还有生菜，酸模，葱头，应有尽有！快快来吧。”

①旧时土地面积单位，约合二十至五十公亩。

雨下大了。她打开她的白绸太阳伞，跑到菜园中的小径上。

“太太这样会生病的！”佐爱静静地停留在石阶的遮檐下，大声叫道。

但是，娜娜什么都想看看。她每发现一样新鲜东西，都惊喜地叫喊起来。

“佐爱！这里有菠菜！快来看呀！……这里有朝鲜蓟！它们的样子真古怪。这些朝鲜蓟会开花吗？……瞧！这是什么？

我不认识……来吧，佐爱，也许你知道。”

女仆听了一动也不动。太太大概看得着迷了。现在，下起滂沱大雨，那把白绸小阳伞已经完全变黑了；它遮盖不住娜娜，她的裙子上流着水。可是，这一切丝毫不影响她的兴致。她在滂沱大雨下观看菜园和果园，在每棵树前面都要停下来看看，在每一棵蔬菜前都要弯下腰来观察一下。接着，她跑到每口井边，望望井底，她又掀起一个木头架子，看看下面有什么东西，只见一只硕大无朋的南瓜，她出神地看了一会儿。她真想走遍每条小径，马上拥有这一切，而这一切正是她过去拖着破旧的女工鞋走在巴黎街道上时所梦寐以求的。雨下得越来越大了，但是她并没有感觉到，她遗憾的仅仅是天快黑下来了。现在她看不清楚了，就用手去摸，一定要弄清楚是什么东西。突然，在黄昏中，她辨认出草莓来，于是，她像孩子一样大声叫道：

“草莓！草莓！这里有草莓，我感觉到了！……佐爱，拿一只碟子来！来摘草莓。”娜娜蹲在泥泞里，扔掉了阳伞，任凭暴雨打在身上。她采摘草莓，两只手在叶丛中，手上淌着水。然而，佐爱并没有拿盘子来。娜娜站起来时，吓了一跳。似乎有一个影子在她面前闪过。

“一头牲口！”她喊道。

她惊愕得木立在小路中间。那个影子是个男人，她认出他来了。

“怎么！是宝宝！……你到这儿来干什么，宝宝？”

“是我，没错！”乔治回答道，“我来了。”

她惊讶得目瞪口呆。

“你是从园丁那儿知道我来的吧？……啊！这个孩子！他全身湿透了！”

“啊！我告诉你吧。我在路上遇了雨。后来，我不想沿河而上去居米埃尔过桥，就涉水过了舒河，我掉进一个该死的深潭里。”

顿时娜娜把草莓忘记了。她浑身打着哆嗦，心里对乔治满怀怜悯。可怜的治治掉进了深潭里！她把他拉向屋子里，说要给他生一炉旺火让他烤烤。

“你知道，”在昏暗中，乔治截住她的话，喃喃说道，“我到了这里后，就躲起来了，因为我怕像在巴黎那样，没有约好就来看你，会挨你骂。”

她没有回答就笑起来，接着在他的额头上吻了一下。直到这一天，她一直把他当成一个孩子，从来不把他的求爱的话当成真的，只是把他看成一个无足轻重的孩子，只是逗弄逗弄他而已。怎样把乔治安顿下来，现在成了麻烦事。她真想把火生在自己的卧室里，这样呆在里面舒服些。佐爱看见乔治并不感到惊讶，因为她遇见过各种各样的人，这一切她已习以为常了。可是，园丁送柴禾上楼时，见到这位浑身湿漉漉的先生，便愣在那儿，他没有给这位先生开过门，这是肯定无疑的。女主人这时用不着园丁，便把他打发走了。一盏灯照亮着卧室，炉子里发出熊熊的火苗。

“他身上的衣服烤不干，他会感冒的。”娜娜见乔治打了一个哆嗦，说道。

可是连一条男人的裤子也没有！她正要叫园丁时，突然想出了一个主意，叫佐爱把她的衣服拿来。佐爱到梳妆室里打开箱子，给太太送来更换的内衣，有睡衣，裙子和一件晨衣。

“太好了！”娜娜叫道，“这些衣服治治全能穿。嗯？你不嫌我吧……等你的衣服烤干了，再换上你的衣服，然后你赶快回家，免得你妈妈骂你……赶紧换衣服吧，我也要到梳妆室里去换衣服了。”

十分钟后，她穿着睡衣走出来，高兴得拍起手来，叫道：

“啊！这个小宝贝，扮成小娘儿们，真逗人！”

他只穿了一件宽大的镶边睡衣，一条绣花长裤，外面罩了一件长长的带衣边细麻布晨衣。他穿着这一身衣服，加上他这个金发青年的裸露着的肩膀，浅黄色的还没干的长发披散在肩上，活像一个女孩。

“他和我一样苗条！”娜娜搂着他的腰部说道，“佐爱，来看看吧！这一身衣服他穿得多合身……嗯！这真好极了，除了胸部太宽大外……他的胸围还比不上我的胸围大呢，这个可怜的治治。”

“啊！当然啦，我这儿瘪了一点。”乔治莞尔一笑，低声说道。

他们三个人都乐开了怀。娜娜替他把晨衣的扣子从上到下都扣上，让他看上去显得端庄整齐。她把他当作洋娃娃转过来，转过去，在他身上拍拍打打，让裙子的后部鼓起来。接着，她又问他这样，问他那样，问他穿上这身衣服舒服不舒服，暖不暖和。当然罗，他觉得很舒服。穿什么也比不上穿女人的睡衣暖和，如果可能的话，他要永远穿着这身衣服。穿着这身衣服，他感到高兴的是，料子很细软，衣服很宽松，而且有一股香味，他似乎从衣服里找到了娜娜一点温暖的生命似的。

这时候，佐爱已经把湿衣服拿到楼下厨房里去了，放在用葡萄藤生起的火前，以便尽快烤干。这时，乔治往沙发里一躺，壮着胆子说老实话了。

“喂，你今天晚上不吃饭了吗？……我呢，我可饿得要命。

我还没有吃饭哩。”

娜娜听了生气了。真是个蠢孩子，空着肚子从妈妈家里溜出来，还掉在一个水潭里！可是她自己也饿得慌。当然应该吃饭！不过，只能有什么就吃什么。于是，他们把独脚小圆桌推到了火炉前面，临时凑合了一顿古怪可笑的晚饭。佐爱跑到园丁那里，园丁已经做好了白菜汤，准备给太太吃，如果她来这里之前，在奥尔良没有吃晚饭的话。太太在信里忘记告诉他应该准备些什么东西。幸亏地窖里有不少东西。他们有了白菜汤，加上一块肥肉。接着，娜娜又在她的包里找出了不少东西，那是她在临行前，考虑周全而塞进去的食品：一小听鹅肝酱，一袋糖果，几个橙子。他们两人狼吞虎咽地吃起来，胃口好得像是二十岁的年轻人，像朋友那样，无拘无束。娜娜叫乔治：“亲爱的小妞儿。”她觉得这样叫更亲昵，更温情。吃餐后点心时，为了不打扰佐爱，两人用同一把汤匙，轮流着吃，把在衣柜上找到的一罐果酱吃得精光。

“啊！我亲爱的小妞儿，”娜娜把独脚小圆桌推开，“我已有十年没有这样的好胃口了。”

然而已经很晚了，她想让孩子回去，免得她遭受别人的非难。乔治呢，连连说他有的是时间。另外，衣服还没有干透。佐爱说至少还要一个小时衣服才会干。因为旅途的劳累，佐爱站在那里打盹，他们便打发她去睡觉。于是，在这寂静的屋子里，只剩下他们两个人了。

这是一个暖烘烘的夜晚。炉火已经化成火炭。在这间蓝色的大房间内，热得有点叫人透不过气来，佐爱上楼前，就把床铺好了。娜娜热得受不了，她站起来，去把窗子打开一会儿。

她轻轻地叫了一声：

“天哪！多美啊！……来看吧，我亲爱的小妞儿。”

乔治走过来。他似乎嫌窗栏太窄，他搂住娜娜的腰，把头倚在她的肩膀上。天气已经突然起了一番变化，深邃的夜空十分晴朗，一轮明月向原野洒下一大片金辉。大地上万籁无声，山谷渐渐开阔，一直延伸向广袤无垠的平原。平原上的一丛丛树木宛如月光照射下那平静湖上昏暗的小岛。这时娜娜触景生情，觉得自己又回到了童年时代。可以肯定，她曾经梦想过这样的月夜，但究竟是在她的一生中的哪个时期，她已回忆不起来了。她下火车后，所看到的一切，这片广袤无垠的原野，这些芬芳馥郁的野草，这座房屋，这些蔬菜，所有这一切都令她神魂颠倒，她简直以为自己离开巴黎已有二十年了，仿佛昨天的事也变得遥远了。她感受到一些她过去不曾知道的事物。这时候，乔治在她的脖子上轻轻地亲了几个温柔的吻，这使她更加精神恍惚了。她迟疑地用手推开他，好像推开一个亲热劲儿使她厌腻的孩子，她一再催他走。他也不说不走，只说等一会儿，等一会儿就走。

一只鸟儿鸣了几声后又停止了。那是一只知更鸟，栖息在窗户下的一株接骨木上。

“再等一会儿，”乔治喃喃说道，“灯光使鸟儿受惊了，我去把灯熄了。”

接着，他走回来，搂着娜娜的腰，说道：

“等一会儿我们再点灯。”

乔治紧紧贴在娜娜的身前。她一边听知更鸟的啼鸣，一边回忆起往事。是的，眼前的情景，她在一些抒情歌曲里领略过。过去，倘若有这样的皎洁的月光，有这样啼鸣的知更鸟，有这样满腔爱情的小伙子，她早就恋爱上了。天哪！这一切对她来说是多么美好，多么可爱！她几乎流下了眼泪。毫无疑问，她天生是个正经女人，乔治越来越大胆，她们他推开了。

“不，放开我，我不喜欢这样子……在你这样的年龄，这个样子太坏了……听我说，我永远是你的妈妈。”

她害羞了，脸涨得通红，尽管这时候谁也看不见她，在他们背后，房间里黑洞洞的，前面原野上没有一点声音，一派寂静。她从未感到过这么害臊，尽管她很难为情，并竭尽全力挣扎，她仍然渐渐地感到浑身酥软下来。乔治穿着这身衣服，这件女式衬衫，这件晨衣，还在引她发笑，就像一个女朋友在逗弄她似的。

“啊！这样不好，这样不好。”她作了最后的挣扎，喃喃说道。

于是，在月色美好的夜晚，她像处女一样投进这个男童的怀抱。整座房子沉睡了。

第二天，在丰岱特庄园里，午饭的钟声敲响后，餐厅里的饭桌再也不嫌太大了。第一辆马车把福什利和达盖内两人一起带来了，紧接在他们后面的，是乘下一班火车的德·旺德夫尔伯爵。乔治最后一个从楼上下来，脸色有些苍白，眼睛下面带着黑圈。他回答别人的问候时说，他的病好多了，但是由于这次病势来得猛，现在还感到头晕。于贡夫人带着不安的微笑看着他的眼睛，替他理了一下头发，他的头发今天早上没有理好。这时候，他往后退了一下，好像对这样的爱抚有些难为情。席间，于贡太太亲切地同旺德夫尔开玩笑，说她等他来丰岱特，已经等了五年了。

“你终于来了……你是怎么来的？”

旺德夫尔用开玩笑的口气回答。他说他昨天在俱乐部输了一大笔钱。于是，他就离开了巴黎，想到外省来安排归宿。

“说真的，我同意你的想法，如果你在此地为我找一个女继承人……这儿大概有的是美女吧。”

老太太也向达盖内和福什利道了谢，感谢他们乐意接受他儿子的邀请。这时候，她看见德·舒阿尔侯爵乘第三辆马车来了，感到又惊又喜。

“哎哟！”她嚷道，“看来你们今天早上是约好的吧？你们互相约好来这儿……发生了什么事情呀？有好几年我都没有让你们来这里聚一聚，今天你们一起来了……哦！我不再责怪你们了。”

饭桌上增添了一副餐具。福什利坐在萨比娜伯爵夫人旁边，使他惊讶的是，她今天特别高兴，而她过去在米罗梅斯尼尔街的严肃的客厅里时，他看见她是那样无精打采。达盖内坐在爱丝泰勒的左边，他对身旁的这个高个子姑娘的沉默寡言，感到局促不安，她的胳膊肘尖尖的，他看了很不舒服。缪法和舒阿尔互相使了一下阴阳怪气的眼色。这时候，旺德夫尔仍然在说笑话，说他不久就要结婚。

“谈到女人，”于贡夫人终于对他说道，“我有一位新来的女邻居，你也许认识她。”

随后，她提到娜娜的名字。旺德夫尔装出一副惊讶不已的神态。

“怎么！娜娜的别墅就在附近！”

福什利和达盖内也跟着惊讶地叫道。德·舒阿尔侯爵正在吃一块鸡胸脯肉，丝毫没有露出听懂的样子，没有一个男人脸上露出笑容。

“是的，”老太太又说道，“而且这个女人昨天晚上到了‘藏娇楼’，这事我已经说过了。这些我是从园丁那里知道的。”

这下子这些先生确实感到很惊讶了，他们再也掩饰不住了，个个抬起头来。什么！娜娜已经来了！他们以为她第二天才到呢，他们还以为自己比她到得早呢！只有乔治满面疲乏的样子，低着头，对着杯子出神。从午饭一开始，他似乎在睁着眼睛打盹儿，脸上似笑非笑。

“你还感到不舒服吗，我的治治？”她的母亲问他，目光一直盯着他。

乔治身上战栗了一下，红着脸回答说，他现在完全好了，随即脸上又恢复了苍白色，像一个跳舞过多的姑娘，脸上露出还没有满足的神色。

“你的脖子怎么啦？”于贡夫人惊骇地说道，“脖子上全红啦。”

乔治有点惶惶不安，说起话来结结巴巴。他不知道，脖子上什么也没有嘛。然后，他把衬衫领子往上提了一下，说道：

“哦！对了，被虫子叮了一下。”

德·舒阿尔侯爵对着小红块瞟了一眼。缪法也瞧瞧乔治。午饭吃完了，大家就商量安排远足的事。福什利越来越被萨比娜伯爵夫人的笑声所打动。当他递一只水果盘子给她时，他们的手接触了一下，于是她用乌黑的眼睛打量他一会，使他又回忆起了那天晚上醉酒以后听到上尉那段吐露真情的话。从那以后，她不再是原来的她了，在她身上，某种东西变得越来越明显了，她的灰色薄绸裙子，软软地贴在肩上，给她纤弱而敏感的优雅风度，增添了几分放任的色彩。

散席时，达盖内与福什利走在后边，以便直截了当地拿爱斯泰勒开玩笑，他们称她是一个粘在男人怀里的漂亮扫帚！然而，当新闻记者告诉达盖内，爱斯泰勒的嫁妆要求达到四十万法郎时，他又变得严肃起来了。

“还有她的母亲呢？”福什利问道，“嗯！也颇有风韵的嘛！”

“啊！她妈，只要她愿意！……但是动她的脑筋，办不到，我的朋友！”

“嘿，谁知道呢！……走着瞧吧。”

这一天，大家无法出门游玩，还在下着滂沱大雨。乔治匆匆忙忙走了，回到卧室把门反锁上了。这几位先生虽然明白他们为什么聚会在一起，但互相之间都避免吐露出来。旺德夫尔赌运不佳，真想到乡间来休养一段时间，他指望有一个女友做邻居，这样不至于太寂寞。这时罗丝很忙，福什利利用她给他的假期，准备与娜娜商量，写出第二篇专栏文章，如果乡间生活使他们两人都有所感受的话。达盖内自从娜娜和斯泰内相好之后，一直生她的气，现在他想与她言归于好，重新获得一些温情，如果有机会的话。至于德·舒阿尔侯爵，他正在等待时机。在追求粉脂还没洗净的爱神的男人当中，缪法热情最高，但他痛苦不堪，欲望、恐惧和愤怒等新的感觉在他的内心交织着，使他终日惶惶不安。他是得到娜娜的正式诺言的，娜娜在等着他。那么，她为什么要提早两天动身来这儿呢？他决心当天晚上吃过晚饭后，到“藏娇楼”别墅走一趟。

晚上，伯爵走出花园的时候，乔治也紧跟在他后面溜了出来。他让伯爵绕道走居米埃尔那条路，自己则涉水过了舒河，他到了娜娜那儿，气喘吁吁，气得发慌，眼里噙着泪水。啊！他已明白了，正在路上的那个老头子是来与娜娜约会的。娜娜面对眼前这个吃醋的情景，不禁发起愣来，她看到事情起了变化，心里很不平静，她把乔治搂在怀里，尽量安慰他。不，他弄错了，她没有约过任何人来；如果那位先生来这儿，这不是她的过错。这个治治，真是一个大傻瓜，为了一点点小事，竟自寻了那么多的烦恼！她用自己儿子的脑袋发誓，她只爱她的乔治。接着，她吻了吻他，替他揩干眼泪。

“听我说，你会看到我的一切都是为了你的，”他稍平静一些后，她又说道，“斯泰内来了，现在他在楼上。亲爱的，这个人，你知道，我不能把他赶走。”

“对，我知道，我指的不是这个人。”小伙子低声说道。

“好了，我已经把他安排在最里面的一个房间里，我告诉他我在生病。他正在打开他的行李箱子……既然没有一个人看见你来，你赶紧上楼，躲到我的房间里，在里面等我。”

乔治扑上去搂住她的脖子。那么，这是真的了，她着实有点爱他了！那么，还像昨天那样？他们把灯灭了，呆在黑暗中，一直呆到天亮。这时候，门铃响了，他蹑手蹑脚地溜走了。他上了楼，进了娜娜的房间，马上把鞋子脱了，以免发出声音来，然后躲在一个帷幔后边，坐在地板上，乖乖地等着娜娜。

娜娜接待缪法伯爵时，还有点心神不定，感到有点忐忑不安。她已经向他许下诺言，她要信守诺言，因为她觉得缪法是严肃认真的。但是，说实话，谁会料到昨天发生的事情呢？这次旅行，这座陌生的房屋，这个小孩，来到时浑身淋透了，这一切在她看来是多么美好，若能这样继续下去，那该多美好啊！这位先生该他倒霉！她已经让他等了整整三个月，她装出一副循规蹈矩的女子的样子，目的是让他的欲火燃得更旺一些。好吧，让他继续等着吧，如果他不感兴趣，他就滚蛋吧。她宁愿什么都抛弃，也不愿欺骗乔治。

伯爵坐了下来，神态颇像一个乡下邻居来访那样彬彬有礼，只有他的双手在微微颤抖着。他天生多血质，至今仍是童男，他的情欲被娜娜巧妙地煽引起来，久而久之，使他受到了可怕的精神折磨。这位如此严肃的人物，这个迈着庄重的步伐经常出入于杜伊勒里宫的各个客厅的王室侍从，现在晚上咬住枕头呜咽着，他很恼火，眼前总是出现同样性感的图景。但是，这一次，他决心结束这种局面。在来这里的路上，在暮色苍茫的寂静中，他边走边想，他要采取暴力手段。现在他见了娜娜，刚说几句话，就伸出双手去抓娜娜。

“不，不，当心点。”娜娜只这样说，但并没有生气，脸上还挂着微笑。

他又抓住她，牙齿咬得紧紧的，当她挣扎时，他就变得粗俗毕露了，他直截了当地告诉她，他是来与她睡觉的。她一直微笑着，抓住他的双手，显得有些尴尬。她用爱称“你”来叫他，以使自己拒绝他的气氛缓和下来。

“瞧你，亲爱的，你冷静一点……说真的，我不能够……斯泰内就在楼上。”

可是，他丧失了理智，她从来未见过一个男人像他这样子。她害怕起来了，她把手指放到他的嘴上，不让他叫出声音来；接着，他的喊声低了下来，她央求他不要作声，把她放开。斯泰内下楼了。这样做实在太蠢了！当斯泰内进来时，娜娜软绵绵地躺在沙发上，他听见她说道：

“我呀，我真爱乡村……”

她中断了话头，转过头来，看见是斯泰内，说道：“亲爱的，这是缪法伯爵，他散步时看见了灯光，便进来问候我们。”

两个男人握了握手。缪法把脸朝向暗处，好一阵子一言不发。斯泰内表情阴郁不悦。他们谈到巴黎；生意很难做，交易所里的情况很糟糕。一刻钟以后，缪法告辞了。随后，娜娜送他出门，他要求第二天晚上约会，娜娜没有答应他。斯泰内几乎马上就上楼去睡觉了，嘟嘟囔囔埋怨这些小娘儿们怎么有生不完的毛病。两个老家伙终于被打发走了！当她回到乔治那里时，娜娜觉得他很乖，坐在帷幔后面等着她。房间里黑咕隆咚的。他叫她坐到地板上，坐在他身边；于是他们两人一起在地板上闹着打滚，每当他们光着的脚碰到一件家具上，他们便停下来，连连接吻，避免笑出声来。缪法伯爵走远了，他在居米埃尔大路上，慢慢地走着，把帽子拿在手里，让发热的脑袋沐浴在夜间的清新空气和寂静中。

在以后的几天里，生活是甜蜜的。娜娜躺在男童的怀抱里，仿佛回到了芳龄十五的时代。她早已习惯于男人的爱抚并且对此渐渐感到厌腻，现在受到这个少年的爱抚，爱情之花在她心里又重新开放。她有时面孔羞得通红，有时又兴奋得浑身直打哆嗦，有时想笑，有时又想哭，这些都是因为她那少女纯真的感情受到情欲的侵袭而引起的不安，她对此感到羞耻。她从来没有体味到这种感情。乡间的生活使她沉浸在温情之中。小时候，她就期望着与一只山羊生活在一片草地上，因为有一天，她在城堡的斜坡上，看见一只山羊拴在一根木桩上，在咩咩叫着。现在，这座别墅，这整片土地属于她的了，使她的心情激动不已，这一切远远超过了她过去的奢望。她重新领略了女童的新奇感觉。白天的户外生活令她销魂，花草芳香令她陶醉，晚上，她到楼上找到躲在帷幔后面的治治。这种情景对她来说，似乎像一个离开学校的寄宿女生在度假，她像在与一个表兄弟搞恋爱，她将嫁给他，生怕被父母听见，只要有一点声音就吓得浑身颤抖。她体味着初次失足时的那种甜蜜尝试和心惊肉跳的快感。

在这段时间内，娜娜产生一种多愁善感的少女的幻想。她时常几个钟头凝视着月亮出神。一天夜晚，整座房子已经沉睡，她还要乔治同她一起下楼到花园里去，他们互相搂着腰在树下漫步，然后两人往草地上一躺，浑身被露水浸透了。又有一次，她在自己的卧室里，沉默一会后，搂住小伙子的脖子呜咽起来，抽抽噎噎说她怕死。她经常吟唱勒拉太太教她的一首抒情歌曲，歌词尽是花儿鸟儿的，她感动得流下泪花，她不唱时，就热情地把乔治紧紧地搂在怀里，要他发誓永远爱她。总之，正如她自己所承认的，她有点傻。当他们又成了伙伴时，便光着脚在床沿一边抽烟，一边用脚踵踢床板。

但是，最终令少妇心碎的是小路易的到来。她的母爱之情大发作，达到了狂热的程度。她把儿子带到阳光下，看他手舞足蹈的样子；她让儿子穿得像小王子，然后与他一起在草地上打滚。他刚刚来到，她就让他睡在贴近自己的地方，睡在隔壁勒拉太太的房间里，勒拉太太对乡村感触很深，一躺到床上就鼾声如雷。小路易的来到对治治丝毫没有影响，恰恰相反，她说她有两个孩子了，她对两个孩子都一样温情，毫无差别地对待他们。夜里，她不止十次丢下治治，去看看小路易的呼吸是否正常；但是，回来以后，她总是把治治重新搂在怀里，用剩余的母爱来抚爱他，她把自己当成母亲；而治治呢，淫荡成性，他喜欢装成一个小孩，躺在这个大姑娘的怀里，任凭她像哄婴儿入睡一样来抚慰自己。这种生活太美妙了，不禁使她陶醉，她一本正经建议他永远不要离开乡村。他们将把其他人都打发走，仅留下乔治，她自己和孩子。他们拟定了种种计划，一直拟定到黎明，根本没有听见勒拉太太的鼾声，她白天采摘野花，太累了，睡得很甜。

这样甜蜜的生活持续了一个多星期。缪法伯爵每天晚上都来，每天回去时，总是气得满脸发胀，两手发烫。有一天晚上，他甚至还吃了闭门羹；那天斯泰内到巴黎去了，有人告诉缪法伯爵，说太太病了。娜娜每天一想到欺骗乔治，内心的斗争就激烈起来。一个如此天真无邪的孩子，对她是多么信任！如果她欺骗他，她就会把自己看成最卑劣的女人。而且，这样做她也讨厌。佐爱目睹了太太的这次风流韵事，她默默不语，不屑一顾，心想太太愚笨极了。

第六天，一群来访的客人突然闯进了这田园诗般的生活。娜娜在此之前对许多人发出了邀请，她以为他们不会来的。因此，一天下午，她看见一辆载满乘客的马车停在“藏娇楼”的门口，一下子惊呆了，心里很不高兴。

“我们来了！”米尼翁叫道，他第一个下车，还带着他的儿子亨利和夏尔。

接着下车的是拉博德特，他回过头来用手扶着一长队的太太下车，她们是吕西·斯图华、卡罗利娜·埃凯、塔唐·内内、玛丽亚·布隆。接着，拉法卢瓦兹从脚踏板上跳下来，回过头来用颤抖的胳膊把加加和她的女儿阿梅莉抱下来，娜娜希望不要再来人了。一下子来了十一个人，把这么多人安顿下来确实是伤脑筋的事。“藏娇楼”别墅共有五间客房，一间已让勒拉太太和小路易住了。最大的一间让加加和拉法卢瓦兹一家住，让她的女儿阿梅莉睡在旁边的梳妆室的一张帆布床上。米尼翁和他的两个儿子住到第三间房间里；拉博德特住到第四间。剩下的一间改成集体宿舍，里面放四张床，让吕西、卡罗利娜、塔唐和玛丽亚就宿。至于斯泰内，让他睡在客厅的长沙发上。一个小时以后，她的全部客人都被安顿好了，起初气冲冲的娜娜，现在成了别墅的主人，心里乐滋滋的。女人们都祝贺她有了这座“藏娇楼”别墅：“亲爱的，这是一座令人倾慕的别墅！”另外，她们还给她带来了一股巴黎的气氛，告诉她最近一个星期的传闻，她们一齐开口，笑着，叫着，还相互拍拍打打。顺便提一下，博尔德纳夫怎么样？他对她的出走说了些什么？这算不了什么大事。开始他咆哮了一阵子，说要叫警察来抓她，到了晚上，他只不过派了一个人代替演她的角色，这个代演的人是小维奥莱纳，她演金发爱神，演得非常成功。这个消息使娜娜变得严肃起来。

现在才四点钟，有人建议到附近去走一走。

“你们不知道，”娜娜说道，“你们来到时，我正要去捡土豆。”

于是，大家都要去捡土豆，连衣服也不肯换。大家进行了一场比赛。园丁和他的两个助手已经到了这片土地尽头的田里。太太们跪在地上，连戒指也不脱下，用手在土里挖着，她们挖到一只大土豆时，就大声叫起来。这在她们看来，是多么有趣的事！塔唐·内内挖得最多，因为她在童年时代，挖过无数土豆，现在捡起来忘乎所以，她把别人都当成笨蛋，她教别人怎么干。男人们干得不太起劲。米尼翁呢，俨然是个正人君子，想利用到乡间来居住的一段时间，给他的儿子作些课外教育，他向他们讲述帕芒蒂埃①的故事。

①帕芒蒂埃（一七八七～一八一八），法国农学家，他在法国推广土豆的种植。

晚上，晚饭吃得快乐极了。个个狼吞虎咽。娜娜打开话匣子，说个不停，她与侍应部总管拌了嘴，后者曾在奥尔良的主教府里当过差。喝咖啡的时候，妇女们都抽起烟来。楼里像办喜事一样，喧闹声震耳欲聋，从每扇窗户传出去，消失在远处的宁静暮色之中，晚归的农民滞留在篱笆外边，回过头来瞧着这座灯火辉煌的别墅。

“令人遗憾的是你们后天就要走了，”娜娜说道，“不过，我们总还可以组织一次活动。”

大家决定第二天星期天去参观七公里之遥的夏蒙修道院的遗址，他们从奥尔良租了五辆马车，马车午饭后来带大家去游览，晚上七点钟再把他们送到“藏娇楼”别墅来吃晚饭。这样真惬意。

那天晚上，缪法伯爵和往常一样，他登上小山，想去按大门外的门铃。可是他看见窗户里面都灯火通明，又听见阵阵哈哈笑声，他很惊讶。他还听见米尼翁的声音，他明白了是怎么回事。接着，他走开了，这个新的障碍使他恼怒万分，把他逼得无路可走了，他决心采取暴力行动。乔治平时走的边门，他有一把这扇边门的钥匙，他开了边门，沿着墙边走，悄悄地进了娜娜的房间。不过，他要等到午夜十二点钟才能见到她。娜娜终于回来了，她喝得酩酊大醉，但却比其它夜晚显露出更多的母爱；她每次喝了酒，总是变得更加多情，缠住人不放。所以，她执意要乔治陪她去参观夏蒙修道院。乔治不肯去，生怕被人看见；如果有人看见他和娜娜坐在马车上，那就变成一件糟糕透顶的丑闻。她像一个受了委屈的女人那样绝望地大吵大闹，哭得像个泪人。他安慰她，最后正式答应与她一起去。

“那么，你真的爱我了，”她喃喃说道，“你重说一次你真的爱我……说呀？我亲爱的小宝贝，如果我死了，你会很伤心的，对吗？”

在丰岱特庄园，有了娜娜这样一个邻居，整个住宅被闹得不得安静。每天上午，吃午饭时，善良的于贡太太总是不由自主地提起这个女人，讲述从园丁那里听来的消息，并感到这些烟花女像使魔法一样，居然把最高尚的夫人也纠缠住了。她是一个宽容的人，可是这次她隐约预感到大祸将要临头，她非常气愤，非常恼火，夜里常常恐惧起来，仿佛有一头野兽从动物园里逃了出来，在附近徘徊。所以，老太太找碴儿与客人们拌嘴，指责他们在“藏娇楼”别墅周围溜达。她说有人看见德·旺德夫尔伯爵在一条大路上同一个不戴帽子的夫人在调情说笑；但他为自己辩护，否认那个女人是娜娜，因为事实上那人是吕西，她陪他走走，她告诉他，她是怎样把第三个王子赶出门的。德·舒阿尔侯爵也每天出来溜溜，他说他是遵照医嘱这样做的。对于达盖内和福什利，于贡太太的指责是不公道的。达盖内一直没有离开过丰岱特庄园，他放弃了与娜娜重归于好的计划，现在正在对爱斯泰勒大献殷勤。福什利仍然和缪法母女待在一起。只有一次，他在一条小径上遇到米尼翁，他的怀里抱满了鲜花，他在给儿子们上植物课。两个男人见面后，握了一下手，互相谈到罗丝的情况；罗丝身体很好；他们两人早上都收到她的一封信，信里请他们再住一段时间，好好享受一下这里的新鲜空气。在所有客人当中，老太太只放过了缪法伯爵和乔治；伯爵说他有重要事情要到奥尔良去办理，不可能去追逐那个婊子；至于乔治，这个可怜的孩子终于使她担心起来，每天晚上，他的偏头痛病发作得很厉害，他不得不在白天睡觉。

伯爵每天下午都外出，福什利就成了萨比娜伯爵夫人忠实的男伴。每当他们到花园的尽头去，他总是替她拿着帆布折叠凳和阳伞。另外，福什利的小记者所具有的古怪机灵使她觉得很有趣。他利用乡村的气氛促使萨比娜很快变成知己。有这个小伙子作伴，她变得很有生气，似乎有了第二次青春，他喜欢大声开玩笑，似乎不至于给她招惹是非。有时，他们单独在灌木丛后边呆一会儿，他们的眼睛互相注视着；有时，他们笑着笑着突然停下来，变得严肃起来，目光深沉，好像他们已经心心相印，彼此很了解了。

星期五吃午饭的时候，需要增加一副餐具。因为泰奥菲尔·韦诺先生刚刚来了。于贡太太记得去年冬天在缪法家里，她邀请过他。他弓着背，装出一副不起眼的老好人的善良的样子，仿佛没有发觉大家对他表示出的不安的敬意。他终于使大家忘记了他在场，吃饭后点心时，他一边嚼着小糖块，一边察看达盖内把草莓递给爱斯泰勒，一边听福什利讲述逗得伯爵夫人乐开了怀的趣闻轶事。如果有人看他一眼，他就报以恬静的微笑。散席后，他挽住伯爵的胳膊，带他到公园里走走。大家都知道，自从伯爵的母亲逝世以后，他对伯爵有很大的影响。关于这位做过诉讼代理人的人对这个家庭所起的支配作用，已有不少离奇的传闻，并不胫而走。他的来到可能对福什利有所不便，福什利向乔治和达盖内解释了他的财富的来源，原来耶稣教会曾经委托他办了一件重大诉讼案件，因此他发了财。据福什利说，这位老好人，样子温和而肥胖，其实是一位可怕的先生，现在那些狗教士的一切卑鄙行径他都要介入。两个年轻人开始拿小老头子开玩笑，因为他们觉得他的模样有点傻乎乎的。过去他们想象中的不曾见过面的韦诺，一定是个身材魁梧的汉子，为神职人员充当诉讼代理人，现在觉得这种想象非常滑稽可笑。缪法伯爵来了，他们便不吭声了。伯爵仍然挽住老好人的胳膊，他面色苍白，两眼红红的，像哭过似的。

“可以断言，他们将要谈到地狱。”福什利低声挖苦道。

萨比娜伯爵夫人听见了，慢慢转过头来，他们的目光相遇了，相互久久注视着，这是在进行冒险之前，互相作谨慎的试探。

平常，客人们吃过午饭后，便到花园一头的平台上，平台俯瞰整个平原。这个星期天下午，天气宜人，将近十点钟时，大家曾担心下雨，现在天空虽然没有变晴，云层却化成了乳白色的雾，化成了闪闪发光的尘埃，在阳光的照射下，呈现出金黄色。于是，于贡太太建议从平台的侧门下去，散一会儿步，向居米埃尔那边走，一直走到舒河边；她喜欢步行，虽然年届花甲，依然步履矫健。再说，大家都说不需要乘车。就这样他们到达了河上的木桥边，队伍有点乱乱散散了。福什利、达盖内和缪法夫人母女俩走在最前头；伯爵、侯爵和于贡太太紧随其后，落在最后边的是旺德夫尔，他抽着雪茄烟，神态庄重，可是走在这条大路上他感到有点厌倦。韦诺时而慢吞吞地走着，时而加快步伐，一会儿跟这群人走，一会儿又跑到另一群人那里，他总是笑嘻嘻的，似乎想听见每个人的谈话。

“可怜的乔治现在还在奥尔良！”于贡太太连声说道，“他已决定去找塔韦尼埃老大夫看偏头痛，他已不出诊了……是的，七点钟前他就动身了，那时你们还没有起床呢。这样走走总可以让他散散心。”

说到这里，她停下来，问道：

“瞧！他们为什么在桥上停下来？”

几位夫人、达盖内和福什利确实伫立在桥头上，神色迟疑不决，仿佛有什么障碍使他们心神不定。然而，路上什么也没有。

“往前走吧！”伯爵嚷道。

他们仍然一动不动，望着一件向他们移动的什么东西，而其他人还没有望见。大路在这里转弯，道旁浓密的白杨树挡住了他们的视线。一阵隐隐约约的嘈杂声越来越大，那是车轮的声音，还夹杂着笑声和噼啪的鞭子声。突然，五辆马车出现在他们面前，一辆接着一辆，每辆车里都挤满了人，简直要把车轴压断了，车上的人穿的衣服有浅色的，有蓝色的，也有粉红色的，他们吵吵嚷嚷，快乐得很。

“这是怎么回事？”于贡太太惊讶地问道。

接着，她感觉到了，也猜出来了，她对这伙人挡住了她的去路很气愤。

“啊！是那个女人！”她嘟囔道，“走吧，走吧，只当没有看见……”

可是她说这话已经迟了。那五辆马车载着娜娜和她的一帮人已经到了小木桥边，他们是去参观夏蒙修道院遗址的。福什利、达盖内和缪法母女不得不往后退了一下，于贡太太和其他人也停下来，在道路旁排成行。那行车队真气派。车内的笑声已经停止了；一张张面孔转过来，好奇地张望着。马匹有节奏的疾走的声音打破了沉静，车上的人与车下的人互相打量着。第一辆车里是玛丽亚·布隆和塔唐·内内，她俩像公爵夫人一样仰靠在座位的靠背上，裙子在车轮上面飘起来，她们用蔑视的目光瞅着这些徒步的正经妇女。第二辆车里是加加，她几乎把整个座位都塞满了，把坐在她旁边的拉法卢瓦兹遮挡住了，只能看见他那个不安的鼻子。接下来的两辆车里是卡罗利娜·埃凯和拉博德特，吕西·斯图华和米尼翁以及他的两个儿子，最后一辆是四轮敞篷马车，里面坐着娜娜和斯泰内，娜娜前面有一张折叠座位，上面坐着可怜的小宝贝治治，他的膝盖被夹在娜娜的膝盖当中。

“这是最后一辆了，对吗？”伯爵夫人悄悄问福什利，她佯作没有认出娜娜。

四轮敞篷马车的轮子几乎擦到了她，但她没有往后退一步。两个女人用深沉的目光互相瞧了瞧，那是倾刻之间的审视，互相看透了一切，也表明了一切。至于男人们，他们个个都没有什么可挑剔的。福什利和达盖内态度显得冷漠，没有认出任何人来。侯爵心里惴惴不安，生怕车上的女人中有人同他开玩笑，便摘了一根草，拿在手里捻来捻去。只有旺德夫尔一人站得稍远一些，眨着眼睛与吕西打招呼，马车经过时，吕西向他莞尔一笑。

“当心！”韦诺先生站在缪法伯爵后面，低声说道。

缪法伯爵心里惶惶不安，他的目光一直盯着从他面前飞驰而过的娜娜的身影。他的妻子慢慢转过头来，瞅着他。于是，他低下头来，好像在避开奔驰而过的马，这些马把他的身心都带走了。他刚才瞥见乔治躲在娜娜的裙子中间，难过极了，差点叫出声来，现在他才恍然大悟。他是一个娃娃，娜娜宁愿要一个娃娃而不要他，他的肺都要气炸了！斯泰内和他不相上下，还说得过去，但是一个娃娃！

不过，于贡夫人开始并未辨认出乔治来。过桥时，若不是娜娜的膝盖夹住了他，他也许羞愧得投河自杀了。这时，他浑身冰冷，脸色煞白，僵直地坐在那儿。他头也不抬，心想路上不会有人看见他。

“啊！我的上帝！”老太太突然说道，“原来是乔治和她坐在一起！”

五辆马车从这些表情尴尬的人群中间驶过了，他们彼此都认识，但并未打招呼。这次微妙的相遇虽是眨眼工夫，但似乎显得时间很长。现在，车轮已经把这批迎着冷风的烟花女带走了，在金色的田野里，她们越来越快乐；她们颜色鲜艳的衣角迎风飘荡，笑声重新扬起，她们不时掉过头来，调侃、张望着那些伫立在路边的怒不可遏的循规蹈矩的人。娜娜掉过头来，只见那些散步的人迟疑了一阵子，他们桥也没过，便折回原路走了。于贡夫人倚在缪法伯爵的胳膊上，一声不吭，表情沮丧，谁也不敢去安慰她。

“喂！”娜娜向吕西叫道，吕西向邻近的车子探出头来，“你看见福什利没有，亲爱的？瞧他那副鬼样子！我要跟他算帐……还有保尔这孩子，我过去对他那么好，他连个招呼都不打……他们真够礼貌！”

斯泰内认为路边那些先生们的态度无可指责，娜娜就跟他大吵了一场。那么，难道他们脱帽跟她们打个招呼，她们也配不上吗？难道随便什么粗俗的人都可以侮辱她们吗？谢谢吧，他原来也是个不干净的人，和那帮人是一路货色。见到女人，总应该打个招呼嘛。”

“那个高个子女人是谁？”吕西在飞滚的车轮声中，拉高嗓门问道。

“那是缪法伯爵夫人。”斯泰内回答。

“对了！我早就料到了，”娜娜说道，“好了，亲爱的，她不配做伯爵夫人，其实，她并不怎么样……是的，她不怎么样……你们知道，我是有眼力的。现在，我对她了解得就像她是我制造出来的一样……你们敢不敢打赌，她和那条毒蛇福什利睡过觉？……我告诉你她和他睡过觉！在女人之间，这种事是看得很清楚的。”

斯泰内耸耸肩膀，从昨天晚上起，他的脾气就越来越坏；他收到了几封信，催促他第二天早上就回去；而且，到乡间来他睡在客厅的沙发上也觉得没啥意思。

“这个可怜的宝宝！”娜娜发觉乔治面色苍白，僵直地坐着，气喘吁吁，突然心慈起来。

“你以为我母亲看见我了吗？”他终于结结巴巴地问道。

“啊！这是肯定的。”她嚷道，“所以，这是我的过错。他本来不肯和我们一起来的，是我硬要他来的……听我说，治治，你同意我写封信给你妈妈吗？她那副样子很值得人尊敬。我要告诉她我从来没有看见你，今天，是斯泰内第一次把你带来的。”

“不，不，别写信，”乔治惴惴不安地说道，“这件事还是由我自己来处理吧……如果她再唠唠叨叨，我就不回家了。”

他陷入沉思之中，竭力编造出一些谎言来应付晚上妈妈的责问。五辆马车行驶在平原上，沿着一条笔直的、望不到头的道路前进。道路两旁植满了美丽的树木。一片银灰色的雾气笼罩着田野。这些女人在车夫们的身后隔着车子继续互相大声呼喊，车夫们暗暗笑这批古怪的乘客。不时，有一个女人站起来向四处眺望，不肯坐下来，扶在邻座男人的肩膀上，等到车子突然一颠，才把她扔回到座位上。卡罗利娜·埃凯这时和拉博德特在进行严肃的谈话；他们一致认为，不到三个月，娜娜就会把别墅卖掉，卡罗利娜委托拉博德特私下里替她用廉价买下这座别墅。在他们前面的车子里，多情的拉法卢瓦兹，因为嘴巴够不到加加的挺直的后颈，就隔着她那绷得紧紧的裙子，去吻她的脊梁。这时坐在折叠座位上的阿梅莉，眼看着别人吻她的母亲，自己却垂手一旁，心里很恼火，对他们说别这样子。在另一辆车子里，米尼翁为了向吕西显示一下儿子的聪明，便叫他的两个儿子每人背诵一则拉封丹寓言；亨利特别聪明，记忆力好，他能把一则寓言一口气背到底，不重复一句。坐在第一辆车子里的玛丽亚·布隆，对塔唐·内内这个笨蛋说了很多空话愚弄她，她说巴黎的乳品商用浆糊和番红花制造鸡蛋，现在她自己也感到玩笑再开下去没有意思了。还有很远的路程吗？怎么还没有到达？这样的问题从一辆车上传到另一辆车上，一直传到娜娜那里，她已问过车夫了，便站起来，大声喊道：

“还有短短一刻钟就到了……你们望见那边的教堂了吗？

就在那片树木的后面……”

接着她又说道：

“你们不知道吧，据说夏蒙古堡的主人是拿破仑时代的一位老太太……哦！她还是一个花天酒地的娘儿们呢，这是约瑟夫对我说的，他是从主教府的佣人们那里听来的，这样的风流娘儿们现在可没有了。现在她只能在神甫之中厮混喽。”

“她叫什么名字？”吕西问道。

“她叫德·昂格拉斯夫人。”

“伊尔玛·德·昂格拉斯，我认识她！”加加大声嚷道。

一行车子中，发出了一连串的赞叹声，随着跑得更快的马蹄声一路传过去。很多人探出头来看加加；玛丽亚·布隆和塔唐·内内转过头来，跪在座位上，用手抓住挂下来的车篷，大家七嘴八舌向加加提问题，中间也夹杂着一些风凉话，但被暗暗的敬佩冲淡了。加加早就认识伊尔玛·德·昂格拉斯，大家都感到惊讶，这是遥远的往事了，她们对加加不禁肃然起敬。

“啊！那时我还很年轻，”加加说道，“不过，这也没关系，我回忆起来了，我碰见过她走过去……有人说她在家里很惹人讨厌。但是坐在马车里，她多么有风度！关于她，流传着种种精彩动人的故事，种种肮脏下流的事，种种令人笑破肚皮的狡猾行径……她有一座古堡，我毫不奇怪。她把一个男人的钱财搜刮殆尽，不费吹灰之力……啊！伊尔玛·德·昂格拉斯还活着！啊！我的小宝贝们，她该快有九十岁了。”

女人们的表情一下子变得严肃起来。九十岁！正如吕西所说，她们当中没有一个人能够活到九十岁。她们个个体弱多病。不过，娜娜声称，她不愿活到那样一把老骨头，人老就没意思了。她们快要到达了，车夫们扬鞭赶马，噼噼啪啪的鞭子声打断了她们的谈话。然而，在嘈杂声中，吕西继续她的谈话，她换了个话题，催促娜娜明天和大家一起回去。博览会快要闭幕了，这些太太们该回巴黎了，这个季节的生意比她们所期待的还要好。但是娜娜执意不走。她厌恶巴黎，她不会这么早就回去的。

“你说是吗？亲爱的，我们留在这里。”娜娜紧紧夹住乔治的膝盖说道，她无视斯泰内就在旁边。

五辆马车嘎的一声停下来。大家都很惊讶，下了车子，那里是在一座小山丘的脚下，满目荒凉。一个车夫用鞭梢指指前面，他们看见了夏蒙修道院遗址，它隐没在树丛之中。这使他们大失所望。女人们觉得她们干了傻事；几堆瓦砾，上面长满荆棘，一半倒坍了的钟楼，这就是夏蒙修道院的遗址！说真的，这确实不值得跑两法里来参观。车夫这时向他们指指古堡，古堡的花园从修道院附近开始，他建议他们由一条小道沿着墙走，建议他们去溜达一下，马车驶到村子的广场上去等他们。

这是一次颇有趣味的散步。大伙接受了他的建议。

“啊唷！伊尔玛混得真不错！”加加说着，她停在一道铁栅栏门前，这道门朝着大路，在花园的一个拐角上。

大家默不作声地观看栅栏门口的一大片矮树丛。然后，他们又踏上一条小路，沿着花园的围墙向前走，一边抬起头来，欣赏路旁的树木，高高的树枝伸出来，形成厚厚的绿色拱顶。三分钟后，他们到达了另一道栅栏门前；透过栅栏门，看见里面有一大片草地，草地上有两棵百年橡树，树下形成两大块荫影；又走了三分钟，第三道栅栏门展现在他们眼前，里面有一条望不到头的林荫道，像是一条黑魆魆的走廊，在走廊的一端，太阳洒下耀眼的光点。起初，大家默不作声，惊奇地欣赏着，接着慢慢地赞赏起来。他们都怀着几分嫉妒之心，想说几句风凉话来挖苦一下；但是，眼前的景色实在令他们感慨万千。这个伊尔玛真有魄力！从这里可见这个女人有胆识。树木延绵不断，围墙上爬满了常春藤；有些亭阁的屋顶露出来，茂密的榆树和山杨树后面，紧接着的是一排排白杨树。难道这些树木真的没有尽头吗？太太们本想看看伊尔玛的住宅，这样没完没了地转来转去，在每道栅栏门口，除了茂密的树叶，其他什么也看不见，她们感到厌烦了。她们用两手抓住栏杆，把脸贴近铁栅栏，她们被远远地隔在墙外，隐没在这片无边无际的树海中的古堡，想看而看不见，不禁心中产生一种敬佩之情。因为她们从来不走路，没走多久就感觉疲倦了。可是围墙依然望不到头；在这条荒凉的小径上，她们每走到一个拐弯处，展现在她们眼前的依然是那堵灰色石墙。有几位太太对到达终点感到失望了，说要掉过头来往回走。可是她们走得越累，心里越充满敬佩之情，她们每走一步，这座古堡的寂静、宏伟气派就在她们的心目中增添一分。

“总之，我们这次出来，真傻！”卡罗利娜·埃凯咬着牙说道。

娜娜耸耸肩膀，示意她住口。她自己也有一会儿没有说话，脸色有点苍白，神情严肃，转过最后一道弯子，大家到了村子的广场上，围墙突然到了尽头。古堡出现了，它位于主庭院的尽头。大家停下脚步，被眼前的一派景象吸引住了：气势雄伟的宽阔石阶，建筑正面的二十扇窗子，主建筑有三个侧翼，边上的装饰层全是用石头砌成。亨利四世曾经居住在这座具有历史价值的古堡中，他的卧室和那张用热亚那丝绒作罩面的大床都原封不动地保留着。娜娜激动得透不过气来，像小孩一样叹了口气。

“我的天呀！”她低声自言自语赞叹道。

大家都异常激动。加加突然说，伊尔玛本人就站在那里，她在教堂前面。加加还说自己认识她，这个妖精，尽管已届耄耋之年，腰板依然硬朗，当她摆起派头来时，眸子依然炯炯有神。人们刚做完晚祷，走出教堂。伊尔玛在教堂的门廊下停留了片刻。她身着淡赭色丝绸衣衫，朴素而又大度，一副令人尊敬的面孔，酷似一个逃脱了恐怖的大革命而幸存下来的侯爵夫人。她的右手拿着一本厚厚的祈祷书，书面在阳光下闪闪发光。她慢悠悠地穿过广场，离她十五步远，跟着一个身穿制服的听差。教堂里的人都走空了，夏蒙古堡的人都向她深深地鞠躬；一个老头子吻了吻她的手，一个女人想在她面前跪下来。她简直是一个有权势的、德高望重的王后。她走上石阶，然后消失了。

“一个人只要善于安排，就能达到这样的境地。”米尼翁神色自信地说道，一边瞧着他的两个儿子，仿佛在教育他们。

于是，各人都说了自己的想法。拉博德特说她保养得很好。玛丽亚·布隆说了一句下流话，吕西生气了，说应当尊敬老年人。总之，她们都承认她是一个闻所未闻的人物。大家又上了马车。从夏蒙回到“藏娇楼”，娜娜一直一言不发。她两次回过头来再看看古堡。在吱嘎吱嘎作响的车轮的摇晃下，她再也感觉不到斯泰内就在她身边，再也看不见乔治就在她的前面。在苍茫暮色中，伊尔玛的容貌总是在她面前浮现，她是那样威严端庄，颇像一个有权势的、年高望重的王后。

晚上，乔治回丰岱特去吃晚饭。娜娜越来越心不在焉，脾气越来越古怪，她打发乔治回去向妈妈认个错，得到她的谅解。她突然尊重起家庭来了，她严肃地说，这样做是理所当然的。她甚至还要求他向他母亲保证，今天夜里不再回来和她睡觉；她很疲倦，而他听她的话，只不过是尽尽儿子的责任而已。乔治对这种道德教育很反感，他回到她母亲身边时，忧心忡忡，耷拉着脑袋。幸亏他的哥哥菲利普回来了，他是一个高个子、乐天派军人，他的到来使乔治避免了一场他所提心吊胆的责骂。于贡太太只是两眼噙着泪水注视着他；而菲利普知道这件事后，吓唬他说，如果他再回到娜娜那里去，他就去拎着他的耳朵把他抓回来。乔治暗自盘算着，准备第二天下午两点钟之前溜出去，和娜娜商量以后怎样约会。

然而，吃晚饭的时候，丰岱特的客人们都显得拘拘束束。旺德夫尔已经宣布他要走了，打算把吕西带回巴黎。他认识她已有十年了，却不曾对她产生过丝毫欲念，这次把她带回巴黎，倒觉得挺有意思的。德·舒阿尔侯爵低着头吃饭，心里想着加加的女儿；他回忆起把莉莉放在膝上颠着玩的情景；孩子们长得多快啊！现在这个小姑娘变得很丰满了。但是缪法伯爵一直沉默寡言，若有所思，脸涨得红红的。他把目光盯着乔治好一阵子。散席时，他说有点发烧，上楼把门关上了。韦诺大步跟在他后面；楼上发生了一件事，伯爵一下子倒在床上，把头埋在枕头里，神经质地呜咽起来，而韦诺用温柔的语气叫他为兄弟，劝他恳求上帝的仁慈。伯爵不听他的话，急促喘着气。突然，他从床上跳下来，期期艾艾地说：

“我就去那里……我再也不能……”

他们一起走出去，两个人影钻进了一条昏暗的小路。现在，每天晚上，福什利和萨比娜伯爵夫人留下达盖内，让他帮助爱丝泰勒沏茶。伯爵在大路上走得飞快，他的伙伴跑步才能跟上他。韦诺先生跑得气喘吁吁，他不断地用最有说服力的道理来开导他，叫他不要被肉欲所引诱。伯爵一句话也不说，一股劲儿在黑暗中行走。到了“藏娇楼”，他只说了一句：

“我再也不能……你走吧。”

“那么，但愿上帝的意愿能够实现，”韦诺先生嘟囔道，“上帝会通过各种途径来使他的意愿得以实现……你的罪孽也是他的武器之一。”

在“藏娇楼”里，吃晚饭时，发生了一场争执。娜娜发现了博尔德纳夫写来的一封信，他在信中劝她继续休息，看来对她回不回去毫不在乎；小维奥莱纳每天晚上谢幕两次。而米尼翁催促她第二天与他们一起走，娜娜恼怒了，她宣称不接受任何人的意见。在今晚的餐桌上，她装出一副一本正经的可笑样子。勒拉太太不当心说了一句难听的话，她立即嚷起来，说真见鬼！她不容许任何人，甚至她的姑妈在她面前说脏话。然后，她以自己的美好愿望，说了很多近乎愚蠢的正经话，如让小路易接受宗教教育的想法，培养自己行为规范的整套计划，大家听得都厌烦了。大家发笑时，她又说了一些意味深奥的话，像一个非常自信的良家女边说边点头。她说只有循规蹈矩才能走向发迹之路，说她自己不愿在贫困中死去。女人们听得厌烦极了，都叫嚷道：娜娜变啦！这是不可能的。可是娜娜呆在那里，一动也不动，陷入沉思之中，双目无神，脑海中出现一个富有而又受人尊敬的娜娜的幻影。

大家上楼睡觉时，缪法来了。是拉博德特首先发现他在花园里。他明白了缪法来的目的，他帮缪法打发走斯泰内，然后拉着他的手，沿着黑洞洞的走廊把他带到娜娜的卧室。拉博德特碰到这类事情，他都做得很出色，很巧妙，好像他是乐于促成别人幸福似的。娜娜对缪法的到来并不感到惊讶，只厌恶缪法追求她的那股疯狂劲儿。在生活里应该严肃些，难道不是吗？跟治治搞恋爱太愚蠢了，什么也得不到。何况治治的年纪很轻，她也有所顾忌；确实，她过去的行为不够地道。好了！她现在又回到正道上来，接受一个老头子。

“佐爱！”她对一心想离开乡村的女仆说道，“明早你起床后就收拾行李，我们回巴黎去。”

夜里她同缪法睡了觉，但她未得到丝毫快乐